Pittsburgh region enjoys snowiest Christmas ever

Southwestern Pennsylvania woke up Friday to the whitest Christmas it has ever seen.

“This is very Bing Crosby-ish, I guess you could say,” said Shannon Hefferan, meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s office in Moon.

Between midnight and 1 p.m., 3.9 inches of snow had fallen at the NWS office, breaking a record of 3.5 that has stood since 1890. A total of 5.4 inches fell since Christmas Eve.

We did it! We broke the record snowfall for Christmas Day in Pittsburgh! 3.9 inches since midnight. Snowfall total is 5.4 inches. pic.twitter.com/lpdjMV5YgF

— NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) December 25, 2020

The last time the region got 3 or more inches of snow was 1935, when Crosby was still crooning on the radio. His famous song, “White Christmas,” would not be recorded for another seven years.

“It’s very rare for us to get anything above 3 inches on Christmas Day,” Hefferan said.

Well, it is officially a White Christmas! Snow depth at our office (the official climate site for Pittsburgh) was 4 inches.

Since 12am we've received 3 inches of snow. That would make this the snowiest Christmas in Pittsburgh in 85 years!

— NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) December 25, 2020

The snow falling Friday was white and powdery, straight out of a Christmas card — unlike the wet, heavy snow that belted the region last week, according to Hefferan.

The National Weather Service has an official definition of a white Christmas. There needs to be at least an inch of snow on the ground Christmas morning, regardless of when it fell.

White Christmases are somewhat uncommon in Pittsburgh. This year’s is the 22nd since 1949 — the earliest year on record.

It’s the first Christmas snowfall since 2017, when the NWS measured 1.4 inches.

Youngwood resident Wyatt Johnson brushed the snow from his car Friday afternoon. He said it was worth braving the snow to enjoy the holiday with family.

“It’s the holidays, and you don’t want to be alone by yourself,” he said. “It’s a white Christmas, and you know that’s a rarity.”

For some, the snow was the best present they could have gotten.

“It reminds me of great Christmas memories growing up. I haven’t seen a white Christmas in 40 years,” said Joe Kovalchik of Leechburg, who recently moved back to the area after living in Florida.

His wife, Anamaria, could not agree more.

“This is the best Christmas gift for me, considering we all had a rough year. I haven’t seen snow in over 16 years and, for a moment, I can feel that childhood innocence and joy of looking out at a winter wonderland.”

Though 3.9 inches may be a local Christmas record, many parts of the country received a lot more snow. South Euclid, Ohio, got 16.2 inches as of noon Friday, according to the National Weather Service. Gatlinburg, Tenn., got 12 inches.

A winter weather advisory for the region was lifted at 1 p.m. Friday. The NWS warned holiday drivers to slow down, as snow and ice could make for slippery roads.

Despite the slick roads, there had been no serious crashes or emergency incidents in Westmoreland County as of 1 p.m., according to county 911.

The National Weather Service is asking Southwestern Pennsylvania residents to send in snow reports from their communities.

?All we want for Christmas is your snow reports ?

What do you think? Will that be a major hit on the radio? pic.twitter.com/baDMJZivdX

— NWS Pittsburgh (@NWSPittsburgh) December 25, 2020

Snowfall can be measured with a ruler in a flat, unsheltered area, away from snow drifts and structures. Residents should take the average of four to six readings for the most accurate measurement.