A white Christmas in KY? Think again — latest forecast shows warming temps
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Forecast shifts from cold, snowy outlook to warmer, drier conditions by midweek
- Climate Prediction Center forecasts above-normal temperatures across most U.S.
- Lexington recorded 5.6 inches of December snow, roughly five inches above normal
A colder, snowier December prompted Kentucky weather forecasters to issue optimistic white Christmas outlooks, but those hopes are quickly dissipating.
The latest forecast, as of Thursday, Dec. 18, from the National Weather Service in Louisville calls for temperature highs and lows well above freezing by the middle of next week. Precipitation chances are also low.
Additionally, the nation’s Climate Prediction Center is pessimistic about white Christmas chances for much of the country.
The center’s latest outlook shows only New York, New England and parts of the Pacific Northwest are expected to see normal or below-normal temperatures between Tuesday, Dec. 23 and Saturday, Dec. 27. Shades of red and orange paint the rest of the map, indicating chances for above-normal temperatures across much of the U.S.
Over the next few days, forecasters say warm southern winds and a cold front arriving in Central Kentucky overnight Saturday, Dec. 20 will trigger significant temperature swings.
For your Friday, Dec. 19 commute, know cold weather and rain overnight Thursday could combine to create slick spots on the roads, especially on bridges and overpasses.
Looking ahead, here’s what to expect from the forecast this weekend and into Christmas week, with insights from NWS forecaster Evan Webb, with the service’s Louisville station. We’ve also got a quick look back at a particularly snowy December for Lexington.
Expect yo-yoing temperatures this weekend
As Webb explained, conditions Friday are expected to be cold and dry, though the forecast as of Thursday afternoon calls for a small chance of snow showers before 7 a.m. The high Friday should be in the 30s, later dropping down into the 20s that night, Webb said.
Then, temperatures jump right back up over the weekend thanks to a southern wind pattern.
“That pumps warmer air back into the region,” Webb said.
Saturday will be cold to start, but the temperature high is expected to reach into the mid-50s. As of the forecast Thursday, it’s set to max out at about 53 degrees Fahrenheit.
Then overnight Saturday, a cold front will push through the area. The forecast calls for a low of about 30 degrees Saturday night with a slight chance for showers before 1 a.m.
Webb said lows in the upper 20s could be possible the next morning, Sunday, Dec. 21. The high will be about 40 degrees and conditions will be dry. Expect a similar temperature high Monday.
Late the night of Monday, Dec. 22 into Tuesday, the chance for rain starts to ramp back up. Between Monday night and Tuesday night, the chance for showers hovers between 40 and 50%. If you’re hopeful for snow, don’t get too excited. Temperatures aren’t expected to dip below freezing for the first half of the week.
Temperatures are expected to remain mild Wednesday, Dec. 24 for Christmas Eve, and even the chance for showers hovers around 20%, according to the forecast.
How much snow has Lexington seen in December 2025?
Lexington’s Blue Grass Airport has recorded a total of 5.9 inches of snow — 5.6 inches of which fell just in December, Webb said.
“That’s close to five inches above normal for this point in the year,” Webb told the Herald-Leader.
Based on 30-year climate normals maintained by the NWS, through Dec. 17, Lexington usually receives just 1.2 inches of snow.
Temperatures are also well below normal this month.
Through Dec. 17, the average monthly temperature is 29.8 degrees, more than 9 degrees below normal, Webb said.
That said, if temperatures do reach to about 60 degrees Christmas Day, expect that average temperature to adjust closer to the historical normal, Webb said.