Dreaming of a white Christmas? Here’s the latest Augusta area forecast, safety info

There are a lot of beautiful holiday scenes happening all across the area. Christmas tree lightings and colorful parades have been delighting families over the last couple of weeks, and Santa Claus has been popping up at festivals and gift markets in every county.

But there is one Hallmark Christmas staple that has seems fairly impossible around here: Snowflakes and all their winter wonder. Will there be any this year? 

Here’s a closer look at the chances of an Augusta-area “White Christmas” as well as when was the last time locals got one. Plus, what to do if Jack Frost comes to town:

What are the chances of a snow around Augusta this Christmas?

According to AccuWeather’s Sunday forecast, it looks like this will be another snow-less Christmas with little-to-no chances of precipitation and temperatures only dropping to 47 degrees Christmas Eve and 45 degrees Christmas Day.

When was the last time it snowed for Christmas in Augusta area?

According to daily snow records provided by NOAA that date back to the 1870s, Augusta has probably never seen a white Christmas. While there have been freezing Christmases and rainy Christmases, the two elements have not combined to bring that special holiday weather.

In 1929, some Georgians got a white Christmas, and Augustans came close, but local temperatures rose and, according to Augusta Chronicle reporters at the time, snow gave way to slush.

It has snowed in Augusta in December several times, but usually in very small amounts that create little to no snow depth.

When was the Augusta area’s biggest ever snowfall?

It’s very possible that Augusta-area residents will never see a snowfall like that of February 1973.

A winter storm dumped 14 inches over-the-weekend in Augusta, 18 inches in Aiken County, and more than 20 in other parts of the South, according to Augusta Chronicle records.

Locals were ill-prepared. Augusta police borrowed four-wheel-drive vehicles from residents and car dealers. In Aiken County, a farmer helped pull out an ambulance after it bogged down while taking a woman in labor to the hospital. She made it to the hospital in time, but by the end of the storm’s fallout, there was tens of millions of dollars in property damage across the Southeast.

Things-to-do: From Christmas concerts to Santa visits, here are some Augusta-area holiday happenings

What to do in the event of extreme winter weather?

Whether it snows or not, Augusta-area residents can expect some very cold nights over the next couple of months, which can lead to all kinds of problems. Here are some general safety and preparedness tips from the National Weather Service:

• Prevent pipes from freezing by keeping home no colder than 55 degrees and letting water trickle from a faucet.
• Bring pets inside.
• Never use generators indoors or use gas ovens to heat home.
• If your heat goes out, you can keep warm indoors by closing off rooms you do not need, dressing in layers of lightweight clothing, and wearing a cap.

More information including a list of Augusta’s heating shelters is available on augustaga.gov.