How common is a white Christmas in Maine? Let's look at the data
How common is a white Christmas in Maine? Let's look at the data ===
Maine is known as a snowy state, but what's the probability of snow for Christmas?
===
To stream NCM on your phone, you need the NCM app.
Download the NCM app
More Videos
Next up in 5
Example video title will go here for this video
Next up in 5
Example video title will go here for this video
Author: Dana Osgood
Published: 8:10 AM EST December 26, 2024
Updated: 2:54 PM EST December 24, 2025
PORTLAND, Maine — Have you been dreaming of a white Christmas? You may be wondering how often we see snow for Christmas here in Maine.
It is important to note the actual definition of a “white Christmas." The National Weather Service defines it as “at least 1 inch of snow on the ground on Christmas Day." Snow doesn’t need to be falling on Christmas Day for it to be considered a white Christmas.
RELATED: Skiing Santas hit the slopes in Maine
For Portland, between 1954 and 2024, 42 years saw at least an inch of snow on the ground. This is about 60 percent of the time. Five out of 70 years, which is 7 percent, saw no snow on the ground, but snow fell on the day of Christmas. The last time snow fell Christmas Day in Portland was 2021, when 1.8 inches fell.
If we go up north to Caribou, 63 out of 70 years saw at least 1 inch of snow. That's a whopping 90 percent. Only five years since 1954 recorded no snow on the ground. The most recent time this happened was 2023, but before that you’d have to go back to 2010.
RELATED: How common is a white Christmas in Maine? Let's look at the data
Fun fact: Caribou had snow on the ground for Halloween in 2023 but not for Christmas!
On average, Caribou and the rest of northern Maine have a 90 percent chance of a white Christmas. Portland and the rest of the coast is closer to 50 percent.
We’ve had our fair share of snow falling on Christmas Day, too. The most snow that fell in Portland was 12.5 inches in 2002 and 12.2 inches in Bangor in 2017.
This year, it's a white Christmas for most, if not all, of the state.
Whether you’re a Heat Miser or more of a Jack Frost type, we hope you had a happy holiday!
Meteorologist Dana Osgood
===
To stream NCM on your phone, you need the NCM app.
Download the NCM app
More Videos
Next up in 5
Example video title will go here for this video
Next up in 5
Example video title will go here for this video
Close Ad
Source: NCM Weather
Locations: Portland, Bangor, Caribou
Region: Northern