While a snowy white Christmas in North Texas is relatively rare and not in the cards this year, it is not unheard of.
According to data from the National Weather Service and archives from The Dallas Morning News, the region does have a history of white Christmases.
1841
The earliest recorded white Christmas in Dallas occurred 182 years ago, in 1841. At the time, North Texas was a frontier marked by rugged terrain and sparse settlements. Native American tribes, including the Wichita and Caddo, inhabited parts of the region. The area was characterized by unpredictable weather, with chilly temperatures and occasional winter storms. Soldiers used the six inches of snow cover that Christmas to track a bear.
1914
While there was reportedly some rain, a “trace” of snow did appear on Christmas Day in Dallas Fort-Worth in 1914. According to one newspaper article the following day, “It was as if a sportive Canadian cloud had wandered from bounds and suddenly recalled itself, making the damp, chill, cloudy weather that followed all the more gloomy by contrast.”
Dallas-Fort Worth was transforming from a more agricultural society to a diversified economy with the growth of industries like oil and manufacturing. The region’s two urban anchors were also experiencing population booms. The onset of World War I brought economic opportunities while also impacting daily life with concerns about the United States entering the global conflict.
1926
As North Texas embraced modernity, with expanding infrastructure and a burgeoning middle class, it got roughly six inches of snow on Christmas.
“Adults turned children Saturday to take occasion of Dallas’ big Christmas snow. At the upper left is a snowball fight, to the upper right, a young man taking a snapshot of his girlfriend, who is holding up a huge bunch of snow as a bouquet. At the bottom left, a small boy is telling his mother how to complete the snowman, while to the right is a view of one of the small streams in Highland Park Christmas morning,” reads a DMN clip from the day after, describing photos taken on Christmas published for the article.
1975
By the mid-1970s, the oil and gas sector was playing a significant role in the local economy. The Dallas-Fort Worth area was growing rapidly, well on its way to becoming a major metropolitan area.
In 1975, nearly half a century after the previous white Christmas, Dallas-Fort Worth again saw some flurries. However, an article in DMN at the time noted that many residents missed the event, as they were “too snugly nestled in their beds to notice,” and the “flakes melted as they fell.” There was no accumulation.
2012
Some may remember seeing children sledding after a “strong upper-level system and a cold front” drove a “winter weather event that included snow and sleet” into the metroplex. As can be the case in such weather, there were more than 400 flight cancellations, and around 1,000 people were stranded on Christmas night at Dallas/Forth Worth International Airport.
Still, people tried to make the best of things under the circumstances.
“We kept the concessions open until midnight,” said airport spokesperson Cynthia Vega, speaking with DMN then. “We brought in cots, blankets, toiletries, and vouchers for those who wanted to go to a nearby hotel. We turned down the lighting and the music to make for a peaceful night.”
