Natchez Area Christmas Day Climatology

Natchez Area

High Temperature

Location	Normal	Warmest Years	Coldest Years
Natchez*	58.9°F	81°F (1942) 80°F (2015) 80°F (1955) 80°F (1894) 78°F (2016) 78°F (1964)	20°F (1983) 29°F (2004) 36°F (1998) 36°F (1924) 37°F (1918)

Low Temperature

Location	Normal	Warmest Years	Coldest Years
Natchez*	37.1°F	70°F (1987) 69°F (1982) 64°F (2015) 64°F (1955) 64°F (1942)	8°F (1983) 13°F (1963) 19°F (1966) 21°F (1990) 21°F (1961)

Location	Wettest Years	Years With Measurable Precipitation/Total Years
Natchez*	2.77" (1926) 1.89" (1976) 1.76" (1921) 1.40" (1943) 1.35" (1895)	36/124 (29%)

1969 - Between 2pm and 3pm, a tornado touched down near the Glade community in Catahoula Parish and tracked across the Black River into Concordia Parish where it lifted near US Highway 65. 20 mobile homes were damaged or destroyed in Catahoula Parish. In Concordia Parish, damage was reported near Lismore, and some trailers were turned over and roofs were damaged between Ferriday and Vidalia. 2 were injured in the tornado, which had a path of 30 miles and a maximum width of 200 yards.
1973 - Heavy rains caused flooding across portions of south Mississippi, though the worst flooding took place over other areas of the state.
1982 - Extensive flooding was developing across much of the state of Louisiana as rain began on Christmas night and continued through December 28th. Storm total rainfall amounts of around 15" fell in a large swath from near Monroe southwestward to Lake Charles. In the following weeks, minor flooding occurred along the Mississippi River at Natchez.
1983 - Extreme cold gripped the Deep South. Four people died in the state of Mississippi and 11 died in Louisiana as a result of exposure.
1989 - A cold wave affected the Deep South, with the coldest air occurring during the days leading up to Christmas. The low temperatures caused water lines to freeze and break across the area.
2012 - Strong to severe storms moved across the area, downing trees around Natchez. An EF-1 tornado tracked 2.6 miles across Catahoula Parish southwest of Jonesville.

It goes without saying, the probability of experiencing a White Christmas in southwest Mississippi and central Louisiana is very, very, very low. However, some locales in the Natchez area have seen at least one White Christmas over the last century. The map below from the National Climatic Data Center shows the probability of seeing a White Christmas based on past Christmas weather conditions. To qualify as an official White Christmas the snow depth must be at least one inch on Christmas Day. The snowfall does not necessarily need to occur on Christmas Day.

Below is a listing of past White Christmases and a few close calls.

1929 - Between December 21st and 23rd, a significant winter storm dropped 4 to 9 inches of snow across the MissLou area, with 9" reported at Fayette and 8" reported at Brookhaven and Natchez. Temperatures were sufficiently cold over the following days to allow some snow to remain through Christmas Day. None of the reporting sites in southwest Mississippi and central Louisiana reported the snow depth on Christmas; however, based on information from surrounding sites, it is likely there was at least an inch of snow in some areas, making it an official White Christmas for those locations. The weather observer at Brookhaven noted that snow was on the ground there through December 27th.
1963 - A significant winter storm affected the entire area between December 20th and 22nd. The southwest Mississippi/central Louisiana area was on the icier side of the system, with significant snowfall amounts mainly occurring north of the area. Through the event, precipitation types wavered back and forth between freezing rain and sleet, with only occasional snow. Accumulation amounts ranged from 4.9" at Harrisonburg in Catahoula Parish, where there was more snow, to a trace at Meadville in Franklin County, where there was more ice. The event was followed by very cold conditions, with temperatures in the teens in most locations (below zero temperatures were reported farther north in Mississippi). These cold conditions allowed some of the ice and snow to remain on the ground through Christmas morning, making it an official White Christmas for a few. No observing sites in the Natchez area reported snow on the ground Christmas morning, but data from surrounding sites suggests there could have been a White Christmas in northern parts of Catahoula Parish.
1998 - Though it wasn't a White Christmas in the classical sense, it was an icy Christmas in some areas. An ice storm impacted the region from the evening of December 22nd through early Christmas morning. This primarily affected the areas north of Natchez, with the biggest accumulations across northeast Louisiana through north central Mississippi. Power outages were reported across the area, and holiday travel was impacted.
2010 - There was no official White Christmas in central Mississippi, but some locations experienced brief periods of show showers or snow flurries on Christmas Day and December 26th. Among official observing sites, flurries were reported at Larto Lake in Catahoula Parish.

*Indicates data from a COOP station. While data from primary climate sites is based on information ending at midnight, most COOP observations are taken between 6 am and 8 am. As a result, high temperatures are usually indicative of the high from the previous day. Low temperatures may be indicative of the low from either the current day or the day before. This is the reason there are some discrepancies between these sites and midnight-to-midnight observing sites.