Will Milwaukee see a white Christmas in 2023? Here's how often it snows on Christmas.

Have you been dreaming of a white Christmas?

For reference, Merriam-Webster defines a "white Christmas" as "a Christmas when there is snow on the ground or when it is snowing."

Last year, the Washington Post put together a database of the snowiest Christmases in each American city since 1940. These include Christmases where snow actually fell, but also Christmases where the powdery white stuff was already on the ground.

We looked into the Post's data, as well as data from the National Weather Service, to determine which Milwaukee Christmases have seen the most snowfall, the most snow on the ground, and the warmest and coldest temperatures.

Here's what we found.

How likely is it to snow on Christmas in Milwaukee in 2023?

The Post found that, between 1940 and 2021, it snowed or there was snow on the ground 59% of the time in Milwaukee on Christmas Day.

Local meteorologist Kevin Wagner with the National Weather Service said that since the NWS began tracking Christmas weather data in the 1870s, Milwaukee has seen precipitation on Christmas Day 34% of the time. Measurable snowfall was recorded 23% of the time. He added that suburbs farther from Lake Michigan saw snow more often.

Wagner said that, while it is too early to accurately forecast Christmas Day weather for 2023, the NWS Climate Prediction Center expects this December to be "warmer than average" and see "normal chances" of precipitation.

Since the 1870s, the average high on Christmas Day in Milwaukee has been 30 degrees, while the average low has been 17. Although this December will likely bring warmer temps than average on the whole, this doesn't mean Milwaukee won't see colder days or snow during the month ... perhaps even on Christmas, Wagner said.

Which years did Milwaukee have the most snowfall on Christmas?

For some, there's nothing more magical than fresh snowfall on Christmas Day.

Data from the Post's analysis showed that these 10 Christmases saw the most snowfall in Milwaukee since 1940:

1. 1965: 6 inches
2. 1950: 5.7 inches
3. 1962: 5 inches
4. 1951: 4.6 inches
5. 1997: 4 inches
6. 2009: 2.7 inches
7. 1989: 2.4 inches
8. 2013: 2.4 inches (tied for seventh) 
9. 2008: 2.2 inches
10. 2017: 1.5 inches

Which years had the most snow on the ground on Christmas in Milwaukee?

The Post also gathered data on which Milwaukee Christmases had the deepest snow on the ground since 1940.

Here are the top 10:

1. 2000: 26 inches
2. 2008: 25 inches
3. 1951: 23 inches
4. 1969: 16 inches
5. 2013: 16 inches (tied for fourth) 
6. 1959: 13 inches
7. 1970: 11 inches
8. 1965: 10 inches
9. 2009: 10 inches (tied for eighth) 
10. 1977: 9 inches

Which decade had the most white Christmases in Milwaukee history?

According to the Post's analysis, Milwaukee saw the most white Christmases in the 1960s and the 1970s. Both decades saw snow either falling or on the ground on eight of 10 Christmases.

The 1990s saw the fewest white Christmases, with only three: 1995, 1996 and 1997.

Which years have had the warmest Christmases in Milwaukee?

Maybe you're not a big fan of the snow and the cold. The National Weather Service has weather information for Milwaukee Christmases dating all the way back to 1871, including the warmest and coldest average temperatures.

Here are Milwaukee's warmest Christmas Days, based on the day's average temperature, since 1940:

1. 1982: 49 degrees
2. 2019: 47
3. 1940: 43
4. 1994: 40
5. 2021: 38
6. 2014: 37.5
7. 2011: 36.5
8. 1957: 36.5 (tied for seventh) 
9. 1973: 36.5 (tied for seventh) 
10. 2016: 36.5 (tied for seventh) 

The warmest high temperature on a Milwaukee Christmas Day occurred in 1982 when temps hit 61 degrees for part of the day. The second and third warmest highs since 1940 occurred in 2019 and 1994, at 57 and 52, respectively.

Which years have had the coldest Christmases in Milwaukee?

Some Milwaukee Christmases have been well below freezing.

Here are the coldest Christmases in Milwaukee since 1940, based on the day's average temperature as reported by the National Weather Service:

1. 1983: minus 7
2. 1985: minus 4
3. 1996: 2.5
4. 1980: 3.5
5. 1977: 5
6. 2000: 5.5
7. 1968: 6
8. 1984: 6 (tied for seventh)
9. 1944: 9.5
10. 1970: 10

The coldest low temperature on a Milwaukee Christmas was seen in 1983 when temps reached minus 12 for part of the day. The second and third coldest lows since 1940 occurred in 1985 and 1980, at minus 9 and minus 6, respectively.

Safe to say, apart from 1982, the 1980s were a cold decade for Milwaukee Christmases!