Just as freezing, below-normal temperatures blasted the Chattanooga area earlier this month, the first day of winter also will be colder than normal.
And area residents may get a white Christmas, forecasters say.
“Depending on how you define a white Christmas, we may have some flurries,” said WRCB-Channel 3 chief meteorologist Paul Barys.
First day of winter for last five yearsYear High/low Snowfall for December* 2005 43/22 none* 2006 57/51 none* 2007 58/42 none* 2008 63/22 none* 2009 52/27 0.7 inches* 2010 49/39 0.4 inchesSource: National Weather Service
Areas of the country define the phrase differently, he said. Some say the ground must have an inch of snow, while others only have to see flurries.