COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – With persistent snow and cold to usher in the month of December, a white Christmas almost seemed like a certainty all across southern Michigan but that may not be the case.
Forecasters are increasingly confident that Branch County and the entirety of southern Michigan as well as most of the country, could see a significantly warmer-than-average Christmas week in this year.
While typical high temperatures for late December hover in the low to mid-30s, current long-range models from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service (NWS) indicate a high probability of temperatures soaring into the 40s, with a chance of hitting the 50s on some days.
This mild trend is consistent with some seasonal outlooks that have pointed to a milder start to the 2025-2026 winter season that officially begins on December 21, offering little hope for those dreaming of a traditional white Christmas in the immediate area.
This potential for a “green Christmas” is a result of large-scale atmospheric patterns, including the positioning of the polar vortex and the current La Niña climate pattern. Although the general winter outlook suggests a potential return to more classic cold and snow as the season progresses into January and February, the immediate forecast for the holiday period favors the milder air.
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