Lubbock National Weather Service - Christmas Climatology

Christmas Day Climatology for the South Plains Region: 2023 Edition

Will we see a White Christmas this year? As long term residents of the South Plains well know, the odds do not favor a White Christmas. In fact, in over 100 years of records kept by the National Weather Service at the Lubbock Airport, there have been only 15 days with snow that has either fallen or been present on the ground Christmas Day. That's less than a 15% chance of seeing snow.

However, between 2009 and 2012 Lubbock fared better with snow falling and/or on the ground in 2009, 2011 and 2012. In 2009 no snow fell on Christmas, but two inches remained on the ground that morning after around three inches fell on Christmas Eve. In 2011, an inch of snow fell on Christmas, after two inches fell on Christmas Eve. With two inches reported on the ground, 2011 was one of the snowiest Christmases at Lubbock. In 2012, the Lubbock Airport officially received a tenth of an inch of snow, but many locations on the south and west side of town saw one to two inches. The past decade has brought no snow, though a little light rain fell in 2018 and in 2016, while 2019, 2020 and 2021 recorded highs in the 60s. Additionally, though Christmas 2015 was dry and mild, a historic blizzard struck the region on the 26th and 27th dumping upwards of a foot of snow in the region with severe winds creating drifts of 5 to 10 feet.

Officially, we need an inch or more of snow to fall or be on the ground to make a "White Christmas". At Lubbock, we've only had this happen 6 times, or less than 6% of the time! We've gathered some additional climate information (below) for Christmas Day at Lubbock that might interest you.

CLICK HERE to view Christmas Eve climatology for Lubbock.

The tables below show the "average" weather and some extremes we've experienced on Christmas

TEMP/PRECIP NORMALS
HIGH	54
LOW	27
Precip	0.03"
Snow	0.1"

TOP 5 HIGHEST TEMPS
1)	76	1955
2)	74	1971
3)	73	1979
4)	73	1922
5)	71	2005, 1963

TOP 5 LOWEST TEMPS
1)	-1	1924
2)	0	1918
3)	3	1926
4)	5	2009
5)	5	1983

Precipitation

Number of times with any precip: 21

Number of times with measurable precip: 12

Number of times with snow (includes Trace): 15

TOP 5 WETTEST DAYS
1)	0.32"	1939
2)	0.27"	1997
3)	0.27"	1991
4)	0.17"	1987
5)	0.10"	1974

SNOW
1)	3.5"	1939
2)	3.1"	1997
3)	1.9"	1991
4)	1.0"	2011
5)	0.7"	1948

The image below shows the chance of a White Christmas (greater than 1 inch of snow on the ground) across the United States. This map was created using data from 1981-2010. Portions of Parmer and Castro County are in the second category (11-25%). A full story on the chances for a White Christmas across the United States can be FOUND HERE.

Historical probability of a White Christmas (greater than 1 inch of snow on the ground)

The table below shows the complete record of temperatures and precipitation for Lubbock on Christmas.

[NOTE: An * in the snow column indicates that it was measured snow depth, not new snowfall]
[** The southern and western part of Lubbock recorded 1-2" of snow Christmas morning]

Year	Maximum	Minimum	Precip (in.)	Snow (in.)
2022	56	18
2021	69	37
2020	65	24
2019	68	41
2018	57	30	T
2017	49	23
2016	63	35	0.05
2015	61	32
2014	59	33
2013	49	24
2012	35	18	0.01	0.1**
2011	33	29	0.06	1.0
2010	50	25
2009	35	5		2.0 *
2008	70	30
2007	64	32
2006	47	29	T	T
2005	71	27
2004	53	15		2.0 *
2003	64	28
2002	50	21
2001	52	21
2000	27	20	0.03	T
1999	46	27	T
1998	54	15
1997	32	26	0.27	3.1
1996	48	24
1995	54	21
1994	61	29
1993	59	23
1992	44	31
1991	38	30	0.27	2.0
1990	44	18
1989	64	22
1988	65	30
1987	28	20	0.17	0.5
1986	48	32
1985	48	19
1984	35	21
1983	17	5	T	T
1982	40	24
1981	53	31
1980	60	21
1979	73	31
1978	60	29
1977	44	19
1976	50	24
1975	48	27	0	1*
1974	36	24	0.10	T
1973	56	20
1972	50	27
1971	74	38
1970	44	21
1969	57	28
1968	69	30
1967	45	21
1966	49	19
1965	57	26
1964	67	42
1963	71	26
1962	37	19	T	T
1961	64	25
1960	68	29
1959	54	49	0.01
1958	57	22
1957	59	32
1956	52	19
1955	76	38
1954	68	35
1953	53	16
1952	40	14
1951	56	30
1950	70	24
1949	52	21
1948	37	21	0.08	0.7
1947	54	23	T	T
1946	63	29
1945	52	27
1944	43	29
1943	56	21
1942	69	38
1941	52	31
1940	61	44
1939	32	26	0.32	3.5
1938	54	24
1937	62	31
1936	56	45
1935	47	26	T
1934	70	29
1933	69	19
1932	50	26
1931	62	31
1930	44	27
1929	68	24
1928	61	18
1927	36	33	T
1926	25	3
1925	56	23
1924	38	-1
1923	42	26
1922	73	27
1921	50	12
1920	58	25
1919	54	25
1918	32	0
1917	40	19
1916	68	28
1915	56	11
1914	43	26	0.01
1913	37	13
1912	M	M
1911	M	M	T