Rainy, Mild Christmas Could Challenge Warmest Christmas Day On Record In Illinois

ILLINOIS — Those still holding out hope for a white Christmas in the Chicago area will be disappointed, as the forecast continues to call for a rainy Dec. 25, and one of the warmer Christmas Days on record.

Right now, the forecast is calling for rain and a high of 54 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

A high of 54 degrees on Christmas Day would place this year's holiday in the top 10 warmest Christmases for Chicago, according to historical data from the National Weather Service.

The warmest Christmas Day was in 1982, when it was 64 degrees. 2019 takes second with a high of 57; and there is a tie for third warmest at 56 degrees in 1936 and 1895.

54 degrees would take sixth place in the top 10 warmest Christmases; just behind fifth warmest at 55 degrees (which happened in 2021 and 1971).

If you're dreaming of colder days, the coldest Christmas on record was in 1983, when there was a high of -5 degrees and a low of -17, according to the weather service.

Even though we're all dreaming of a White Christmas, a snowy holiday only happens 41 percent of the time in Chicago. Rain is actually more common than snow on Christmas Day, according to the weather service.

Measurable snow happens 33 percent of the time, while measurable precipitation happens 43 percent of the time.

Temperatures are expected to warm through the weekend to 15 to 20 degrees above normal, the weather service said. Christmas Eve will also be rainy and mild, with a high of 53 degrees.