Snow and Christmas are so entwined with one another that there is a holiday hit song dedicated to wanting to see the holiday marked by a snow-covered ground.

However, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s White Christmas probability map has shown that since 1990, Butler County’s odds of receiving at least an inch of snow on Christmas Day range from 25% to 40%. That is not much snow, and not a high chance for it.

Maybe that’s what makes it so special — the less than 50% chance that the holiday scene will be like that of the movies. Now knowing whether or not the ground will be covered in snow, or if snow will be falling on Christmas gives residents of Butler County and many in Western Pennsylvania something to anticipate.

There are some places in the U.S. not far from Butler County where snow is pretty likely to fall throughout December, and also some places nearby where seeing snow at any time during the year would be a shock to the system.

The northeast part of the U.S. has a bit of a reputation for having weather that is off-putting to some, especially in the winter — that’s why we all know what the term “snowbird” means as residents move south for the season. Other people relish the winter weather and embrace the chance of inclement weather from December to March and the opportunity to sled or ski.

The bright side of Butler County not being a hot zone for cold weather on Christmas is that travelers will more often than not have an safer time getting to and from their holiday destinations. It’s also a holiday break for snowplow drivers who will soon have to be out on the roads for the hours during coming snowstorms.

The downside is, you may not get that picturesque landscape you dreamed of, which can sometimes be a calming reminder that a holiday at some level is meant to be a day of rest.

Either way, we at the Butler Eagle hope residents enjoyed their Christmas or Hanukkah celebrations, no matter the color of the ground outside.

— ET