(WJHL) – Christmas is next week and already everyone is asking the same question: Will we have a White Christmas?

The National Weather Service defines a White Christmas as having an inch or more on the ground Christmas morning.

Here is a map that shows the best probability of a white Christmas across the country. Notice that in our area, the mountains have the best chance of seeing a white Christmas.

Average Probabilities for a white Christmas – NOAA

The last time that the Tri-Cities had a white Christmas — an inch or more of snowfall falling on Christmas Day— was on Dec. 25, 2010. The Tri-Cities Airport recorded 1.2″ of snow.

The heaviest snowfall recorded at the Tri-Cities Airport on Christmas Day was 8.7″ on Dec. 25, 1969.

Here is a look at the 11 Christmas days that had recorded snowfall other than a trace at the Tri-Cities Airport.

The average snowfall for a season at the Tri-Cities is 9.2″.

Here is some good news: We do have a chance of seeing some light snow next Thursday into Friday and then again on Christmas Day for parts of the region as it looks as of Dec. 15.

Snow showers could be possible late Thursday of next week.
We could see a storm system that could produce snow in parts of the Southeast on Friday of next week.
Very cold air and scattered snow showers will be possible on Christmas Day.

It looks like some of the coldest air in a few years will be moving into the area by next weekend just in time for Christmas.

The upper-air weather pattern shows the cold Arctic Air plunging south late next week. High temperatures in the Tri-Cities will be in the lower 20s with teens in the mountains by Christmas Eve with overnight low temperatures dipping into the single digits.