Places above roughly 6,000–7,000 feet can support persistent winter snowpack despite their southern latitude.
Southwest high country
White Christmas in the high Southwest
The Southwest is a reminder that latitude alone is not enough. High-elevation communities can have meaningful Christmas snow while nearby desert basins remain mild and dry.
Check the place that matters.
Check local 2026 oddsRegional climate sets the background; the live tool resolves the actual city, town or ZIP.
What drives Christmas snow here?
Snow can be episodic, so the timing of a few winter systems has outsized influence.
Snow can melt or sublimate quickly between storms, especially on exposed slopes.
Why local matters: Phoenix, Albuquerque and Las Vegas do not represent the mountain towns above them. Use the actual destination in the live tool.
Check cities and destinations
Flagstaff, AZShow Low, AZPrescott, AZSanta Fe, NMTaos, NMLos Alamos, NMRuidoso, NMDurango, COCedar City, UTBrian Head, UT
Historical context
See the U.S. White Christmas probability map for the broad 1991–2020 pattern.
Christmas-week planning
See when the short-range forecast becomes more useful than climatology.