Manchester, NH – New Hampshire residents may have an elevated chance at a white Christmas this year as new NOAA outlooks show a colder and wetter pattern shaping up for the December 13–26 period — one of the busiest travel windows of the season.
According to NOAA, New Hampshire is included in a broad “Above Normal” precipitation zone extending across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. This means the region is likely to experience more frequent storm systems during the second half of December, several of which could deliver accumulating snowfall.
The temperature outlook further supports the setup. Much of New Hampshire falls within a “Below Normal” temperature corridor, signaling colder-than-average conditions across northern, central, and southern parts of the state. This is a key ingredient for sustaining snow cover and ensuring that incoming systems fall as snow rather than rain.
According to NOAA meteorologists, when colder-than-average temperatures combine with above-normal precipitation, the chances of building and maintaining snowpack increase significantly. Northern New Hampshire, including the White Mountains and Coös County, traditionally sees strong white Christmas probabilities. But this year’s pattern also improves prospects for southern areas such as Manchester, Nashua, and Concord, where variability is typically higher.
Although individual storm systems can’t be predicted this far out, forecasters note that the pattern favors multiple opportunities for winter weather events heading into Christmas. Travel disruptions are possible, particularly during the December 20–24 timeframe.
Residents planning holiday travel should monitor updated local forecasts as the holiday approaches and confidence increases in snowfall timing and potential impacts.
