50 coldest cities in America on Christmas
The traditional portrait of a picture-perfect Christmas Day includes neighborhoods covered in soft snow, smoke wafting from homes' chimneys, and families gathering together to celebrate one of the most highly anticipated holidays of the year. While many hope for a white Christmas, keeping track of weather patterns during December can be tricky in a large country like the United States, with significant weather variations among regions and coastlines.
Stacker consulted data from 214 available U.S. cities in the National Centers for Environmental Information Climate at a Glance database to uncover which cities have endured some of the chilliest Christmases. The data is aggregated monthly. Stacker identified the 50 coldest cities by long-term average temperature from 1991-2020 in December. Additional temperature data in 2022 is also included.
The data shows that while parts of states like Illinois and Nebraska certainly get cold, their December weather might seem like a walk in the park compared to other areas. Regardless, residents are wise to be prepared for severe cold if their hometown or holiday vacation destination appears in this article. Keep several layers of warm clothes handy, including a pair of thick gloves or mittens—and plenty of hot cocoa.
Read on to see which cities in the U.S. have historically endured the coldest Decembers.
