Dreaming of a white Christmas this year in Kansas City?
The Old Farmer’s Almanac says you’re in luck.
The long-range weather forecast from the 200-year-old publication says that from Dec. 22 to Dec. 31, the Kansas City area can expect snowy periods; mild, then bitter cold.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac bills itself as North America’s “oldest continuously published periodical,” according to its website. It is said to make its forecast using a “secret formula” created in 1792 by Robert B. Thomas, the Almanac’s founder. The authors say the method includes solar science (the study of sunspots), climatology and meteorology.
To check your region, you can go to the Almanac’s website and input your ZIP Code on the 60-day extended weather forecast.
The National Weather Service defines a white Christmas as having at least one inch of snow on the ground.
The historic probability of a white Christmas in Kansas City is 19.9%, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Meanwhile, the Farmers’ Almanac, a publication first printed in 1818 with a similar name to the older version, also says a white Christmas is possible for Kansas City.
The Farmers’ Almanac Christmas forecast for Dec. 24 to Dec. 27 says that the North Central zone, which groups Kansas and Missouri with Colorado, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming can expect snow.
“Looking good for a White Christmas! Possible heavy snow in Colorado and over the Plains just in time to set the mood for the holiday,” The Farmers’ Almanac says.
The Farmers’ Almanac uses a “secret formula” that is not available to the public, making their snow prediction impossible to verify — unlike NOAA projections.
One study found the original Old Farmer’s Almanac’s predictions to be only around 52% accurate.
What to expect if you’re traveling for the holidays
Are you traveling out of Kansas City for the holidays, and want to know what the chances of a white Christmas are for your destination?
This is what the Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts for other areas of the United States this year.
Northeast: “Rainy, very warm.”
Northwest: “Sunny, then isolated rain and snow showers; frigid.”
Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and Midwest: “Rainy, milder. Then snowy, colder.”
Southeast: “Rain, then sunny; turning very cold.”
South Central: “Rainy periods, some snow north; quite cold” in the Texas and Oklahoma region, and “isolated showers, chilly” in New Mexico.
Southwest: “Sunny, chilly and then isolated showers north, rainy south; turning mild.”