Louisville hasn’t seen a white Christmas in years. How many white Christmases have we had?

On By Littum

The National Weather Service in Louisville tracks the weather on Christmas annually, and its reports go all the way back to 1872. If you look at these records, you’ll see that a white Christmas is not something that happens every year.

While it may still be too early to tell if we’ll get a white Christmas this year, here’s when we last had one in Louisville.

: Will it snow for Christmas in Kentucky? Here’s a look at Louisville’s long-term weather forecast

When was the last white Christmas in Louisville?

The last time it snowed for Christmas in Louisville was in 2020, according to the NWS, but it wasn’t enough to be considered a white Christmas with just a 0.3-inch snowfall.

Louisville’s last white Christmas on record — meaning they had at least 1 inch or more of snow — was in 1969, according to NWS records. That year, Louisville reported 3.3 inches of snow.

Did it snow for Christmas in Louisville?

Yes, it has snowed on Christmas in Louisville before, although it hasn’t happened very often throughout history.

The NWS has been tracking Christmas weather since 1872, but here and there some data points are missing. Of the reported Christmases, only five white Christmases are recorded in Louisville: in 1890, 1917, 1933, 1935 and 1969.

The snowiest Christmas according to NWS records was in 1890, when 4.5 inches of snow was reported on Christmas Day.

What is the average temperature on Christmas Day in Louisville?

The high average temperature at Christmas in Louisville is 64 degrees, while the average low is 1 degree, according to NWS data.

The warmest Christmas on record occurred in 2021, when it reached 75 degrees in Louisville. The coldest Christmas occurred in 1983 when it was reported at -7 degrees.

John Tufts contributed to this report.

Katie Wiseman is a trendy news reporter at IndyStar. Contact her at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @itskatiewiseman or Bluesky @katiewiseman

This article originally appeared in the Louisville Courier Journal: When was the last time Louisville had a white Christmas?