December 25 in Weather History

179 events on record, 558 to 2024

Every tornado, hurricane, flood, blizzard, heat wave, record, earthquake, eruption, tsunami, wildfire and geomagnetic storm on record for December 25, in any year, each linked to its full record.

← December 24TodayDecember 26 →

December 25 on the map

Every event with a place, colored by kind. Tap one to open its record.

  • Tornadoes
  • Hurricanes and tropical storms
  • Floods
  • Severe storms
  • Winter storms and snow
  • Cold
  • Wildfires
  • Earthquakes
  • Volcanoes
  • Tsunamis
  • Other weather

The most significant

By deaths, damage and strength together, across every archive.

Winter storms and snow

1969The Post Christmas Storm of 1969

The Post Christmas Storm of 1969 was ranked category 4, Crippling, on NOAA’s Regional Snowfall Index, strongest in the Northeast. It lasted from December 25, 1969 to December 29, 1969.

Category
4, Crippling
Index
10.1

The full record

Severe storms

1999Lothar and Martin wind storms

The late December 1999 European storms were two intense and rapidly developing mid-latitude low-pressure systems, named Lothar and Martin, which affected Western Europe between 26 and 28 December 1999. 2 billion in material losses.

Ended
December 28, 1999
Where
Western Europe
Deaths
69

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The full record

Floods

2003Flash Flooding and Debris Flow in California, December 25, 2003

Steady light to moderate rain began falling over the burned areas of the San Bernardino Mountains on 0600 PST 12/24/03. Approximately 24 hours later, mud, rock, and debris flows were being reported along highways and roads leading into the mountain resort communities.

Deaths
16
Injuries
15
Damage
$7.3 million
Events
4

The full record

Winter storms and snow

1947The Blizzard of 1947 \The Big Snow\

The Blizzard of 1947 \The Big Snow\ was ranked category 3, Major, on NOAA’s Regional Snowfall Index, strongest in the Northeast. It lasted from December 25, 1947 to December 27, 1947.

Category
3, Major
Index
8.1

The full record

By kind

Tornadoes

35 on December 25, oldest first.

2006Tornadoes in Florida, December 25, 2006

On December 24th an area of surface low pressure developed in the Gulf of Mexico as a result of a strong upper level trough and an associated powerful branch of the subtropical jet.

Injuries
5
Damage
$2.8 million
Strongest
F2
Events
2

The full record

2012Tornadoes and Hail in Alabama, December 25, 2012

A powerful storm system moved out of the plains on|Christmas, producing numerous strong storms across southeast|Mississippi, southwest Alabama, and the western Florida panhandle|out ahead of a strong cold front and accompanying squall line.

Deaths
1
Damage
$1.5 million
Strongest
EF2
Events
15

The full record

2012Tornadoes in Mississippi, December 25, 2012

A strong low pressure system moving across the middle Mississippi River Valley drove a strong cold front through the area. A squall line developed ahead of the cold front with isolated supercells ahead of the squall line. Multiple reports of severe weather were received.

Injuries
9
Damage
$2.8 million
Strongest
EF3
Events
3

The full record

2012Tornadoes and Hail in Alabama, December 25, 2012

Late Christmas Eve, a well amplified upper level trough dug into the southern Plains. In response, a surface low developed Christmas morning over southern Texas. As the upper low deepened and tilted negatively, the surface low strengthened as it moved eastward.

Injuries
2
Strongest
EF2
Events
21

The full record

2012Tornado and Damaging Winds in Louisiana, December 25, 2012

A strong low pressure system moving across the middle Mississippi River Valley drove a strong cold front through the area. A squall line developed ahead of the cold front with isolated supercells ahead of the squall line. Multiple reports of severe weather were received.

Damage
$46,000
Strongest
EF0
Events
8

The full record

Hurricanes and tropical storms

3 on December 25, oldest first.

2018Tropical Depression Usman

Tropical Depression Usman was a weak but deadly tropical cyclone that impacted the southern Philippines in late December 2018. Tropical Depression Usman originated first as a low-pressure area to the east of Palau on December 23.

Ended
December 29, 2018
Where
Philippines
Country
Philippines

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The full record

Floods

11 on December 25, oldest first.

2003Flash Flooding and Debris Flow in California, December 25, 2003

Steady light to moderate rain began falling over the burned areas of the San Bernardino Mountains on 0600 PST 12/24/03. Approximately 24 hours later, mud, rock, and debris flows were being reported along highways and roads leading into the mountain resort communities.

Deaths
16
Injuries
15
Damage
$7.3 million
Events
4

The full record

2015Flash Flooding in West Virginia, December 25, 2015

A mesoscale convection system rode east and northeast out of Kentucky during Christmas morning. Support for the rain was aided by a stalled out front in southern West Virginia, just south of Charleston, on into southeast Kentucky. Abundant moisture was available.

Damage
$825,000
Events
8

The full record

2015Flash Flooding in Kentucky, December 25, 2015

A mesoscale convection system rode east and northeast into eastern Kentucky during Christmas morning. Support for the rain was aided by a stalled out front in southern West Virginia, just south of Charleston, on into southeast Kentucky.

Damage
$35,000
Events
3

The full record

2020Flood in New York, December 25, 2020

A wet and windy storm moved across Canada and NY on Christmas Eve and Christmas. Temperatures were in the 50s, melting any existing snowpack and rainfall was 1 to 2 inches across much of the region with localized 3 inches in portions of Essex county.

Damage
$50,000
Events
1

The full record

Severe storms

26 on December 25, oldest first.

1999Lothar and Martin wind storms

The late December 1999 European storms were two intense and rapidly developing mid-latitude low-pressure systems, named Lothar and Martin, which affected Western Europe between 26 and 28 December 1999. 2 billion in material losses.

Ended
December 28, 1999
Where
Western Europe
Deaths
69

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The full record

2000High Wind in California, December 25 to 26, 2000

Wind gusts greater than 58 mph continued for 25 consecutive hours in the Santa Ana Mountains. In Orange County, power poles, power lines, and many trees were knocked down in the cities of Orange, Tustin, Irvine, Santa Ana, Westminister, Garden Grove, and La Palma.

Injuries
4
Damage
$665,000
Strongest
76 kt wind
Events
5

The full record

2002High Wind in Virginia, December 25, 2002

High winds during the afternoon of the 25th downed numerous trees and power lines across the area. A tree was downed onto a house in Roanoke, causing damage to the roof and crushing the front porch.

Damage
$20,000
Events
21

The full record

2005Strong Wind in Washington, December 25, 2005

Strong winds knocked out power to about 20,000 people across western Washington. Most of the power outages were in Kitsap county, although they ranged from Olympia to Bellingham. On Camano Island, a man was injured when a tree fell on his moblie home.

Injuries
1
Damage
$400,000
Events
6

The full record

2007High Wind in California, December 25, 2007

Strong offshore flow on Christmas Day caused sporadic power outages, uprooted trees, and overturned semi-tractor trailer rigs. The strongest winds were confined to areas below the Cajon Pass in the Inland Empire and in the Santa Ana Mountains and Foothills.

Damage
$50,000
Strongest
74 kt wind
Events
2

The full record

2008Strong Wind in New Jersey, December 25, 2008

A strong cold front moved across the Northeast during the early morning hours of December 25. Gusty northwest winds of 40 to 50 mph behind the front toppled a 40 foot tree onto a car traveling on the Garden State Parkway in Bloomfield, New Jersey, at approximately 0110EST.

Deaths
2
Injuries
2
Events
1

The full record

2008Strong Wind in California, December 25, 2008

A strong fast moving low pressure system brought strong southerly winds and mountain snow to the San Francisco Bay area. This holiday wind event toppled trees and left many with out power in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.

Injuries
6
Damage
$81,000
Events
3

The full record

2008High Wind in Colorado, December 25, 2008

Strong winds in Estes Park caused a roof under construction at the YMCA of the Rockies to collapse. The wind caught the end section of the roof truss, and in a domino effect, blew it into the second and thirds trusses, on down the line of the roof.

Damage
$50,000
Strongest
70 kt wind
Events
1

The full record

2009High Wind in West Virginia, December 25, 2009

A strong south and southeast flow existed across the mountainous counties during the morning and early afternoon hours on Christmas. Peak gusts were near 60 mph, but most gusts were in the 45 to 55 mph range.

Damage
$90,000
Strongest
50 kt wind
Events
6

The full record

2016High Wind in Wyoming, December 25 to 30, 2016

A prolonged period of high winds developed across much of southeast Wyoming. Wind gusts of 65 to 85 mph were common. The high winds produced areas of blowing and drifting snow, with poor visibilities and slick snow-covered roads.

Strongest
75 kt wind
Events
40

The full record

2016Damaging Winds in Kansas, December 25, 2016

A line of northward moving thunderstorms moved east across Northwest Kansas. The line of storms produced wind gusts strong enough to tear down a porch and blow out car windows in Grinnell. Estimated wind gusts based on the damage were 90 MPH.

Damage
$34,000
Strongest
83 kt wind
Events
2

The full record

2020Strong Wind in Vermont, December 25, 2020

A wet and windy storm moved across Canada and along the eastern seaboard across Vermont during Christmas Eve and Christmas. One to two inches of rainfall and similar amounts of water equivalent of snow melt occurred across southern VT.

Damage
$45,000
Events
3

The full record

Winter storms and snow

44 on December 25, oldest first.

1947The Blizzard of 1947 \The Big Snow\

The Blizzard of 1947 \The Big Snow\ was ranked category 3, Major, on NOAA’s Regional Snowfall Index, strongest in the Northeast. It lasted from December 25, 1947 to December 27, 1947.

Category
3, Major
Index
8.1

The full record

1969The Post Christmas Storm of 1969

The Post Christmas Storm of 1969 was ranked category 4, Crippling, on NOAA’s Regional Snowfall Index, strongest in the Northeast. It lasted from December 25, 1969 to December 29, 1969.

Category
4, Crippling
Index
10.1

The full record

1999Blizzard and Winter Storm in Alaska, December 25 to 27, 1999

Blizzard conditions were reported across much of the southwest Alaskan coast, Bristol Bay, the eastern Aleutians and Pribilofs Sunday. Wind gusts reached close to 50 mph in places, with local wind chills to 70 below calculated in the southwest interior.

Deaths
1
Damage
$2,000
Strongest
78 kt wind
Events
10

The full record

2000Heavy Snow in Texas, December 25 to 27, 2000

A strong storm system in the upper atmosphere moved from the four corners region into southwestern New Mexico and then moved slowly into west Texas producing heavy snowfall across all of the Texas panhandle.

Deaths
2
Damage
$40,000
Events
20

The full record

2002Heavy Snow in New York, December 25, 2002

Low pressure moved northeast along the Appalachians and brought a general heavy snow to much of the region on Christmas eve and Christmas day. A eight to twelve inch blanket of snow covered the area with higher amounts generally over the Finger Lakes Region.

Damage
$135,000
Events
9

The full record

2002Winter Storm in Vermont, December 25 to 26, 2002

A storm system along the coast of Virginia early on Wednesday, December 25th, moved northeast just south of New England. Snow spread across southern and eastern Vermont during Christmas Day and became heavy at times during the afternoon and night.

Damage
$45,000
Events
3

The full record

2003Winter Storm in Utah, December 25 to 27, 2003

A mammoth 3-day winter storm blasted portions of Utah, just in time for Christmas travelers. The worst hit area was from the Tooele Valley east through Salt Lake and Davis Counties, and east into the Wasatch Mountains.

Damage
$1.4 million
Events
12

The full record

2009Winter Storm in South Dakota, December 25 to 26, 2009

A powerful winter storm moved across the region, bringing heavy snow to the area. Snowfall amounts across the northern Black Hills were generally in the two to four foot range. Lighter snow fell across the central and southern Black Hills, with amounts to eight inches.

Damage
$50,000
Events
3

The full record

2011Winter Weather in Texas, December 25 to 26, 2011

An upper level trough and cold front moved across the Texas Panhandle during the morning hours. Plenty of moisture combined with the cold air in place resulted in about one to three inches of snow across the southern and eastern Texas Panhandle.

Deaths
2
Damage
$55,000
Events
2

The full record

2012Heavy Snow and Hail in Texas, December 25, 2012

A strong upper level system and cold front first brought hail-producing thunderstorms to the region, then a winter weather event that included snow and sleet. The storms produced lots of pea sized hail and occasionally slightly larger hail.

Injuries
16
Damage
$1.2 million
Strongest
1 in hail
Events
6

The full record

2016Ice Storm in South Dakota, December 25, 2016

An intense surface low pressure area moved from northeast Colorado to South Dakota from the 24th through the 26th. This storm was unusually warm for the region for late December and produced record breaking heavy rain along with flooding in some cases.

Deaths
1
Damage
$7.6 million
Events
21

The full record

Cold

8 on December 25, oldest first.

1922On this date in 1922, the temperature in Oklahoma City warmed to 73 degrees, resulting in the warmest Christmas on…

On this date in 1922, the temperature in Oklahoma City warmed to 73 degrees, resulting in the warmest Christmas on record. The warmest Christmas on record in Wichita Falls occurred in 1971, with the mercury reaching 75 degrees. Back in 1983, the temperature fell to minus 1 degree in Oklahoma City, and 5 degrees in Wichita Falls, making it the coldest Christmas on record for both cities.

From the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma.

The full record

1996Cold in South Carolina, December 25, 1996

Cold weather was partly to blame for two fatalities (direct). An elderly man wandered away from home during the night and was found in a creek the next morning. An elderly woman turned the heat down to 50 degrees and died from hypothermia.

Deaths
2
Events
1

The full record

1996Cold in North Dakota, December 25, 1996

The blizzard of the 16th-18th left in its wake very cold air. Williston set a new state record low of 32 below the morning of the 25th, and Bismarck set a new record low high temperature for the date, with the mercury struggling to 10 below for a high.

Events
36

The full record

2017Cold in Wisconsin, December 25 to 31, 2017

Bitterly cold air and wind chill temperatures prevailed over southern WI from Christmas Day through January 6th. Wind chill temperatures of 20 below to 34 below zero occurred at times with low temperatures below zero for most nights.

Deaths
6
Events
20

The full record

2021Cold in Idaho, December 25, 2021

A 30 year old man was found dead in a field near Parker Idaho. The cause was believed to be extended exposure to cold air. At the time of death wind chill temperatures were in the teens.

Deaths
1
Events
1

The full record

Wildfires

4 on December 25, oldest first.

1999Kyle Fire

The Kyle Fire was discovered on December 25, 1999, in South Dakota, and burned 1,100 acres; the cause was recorded as debris and open burning.

When
December 25, 1999
Acres
1,100

The full record

2012Wildfire in Texas, December 25, 2012

A wildfire occurred near County Road 357 and the Hideaway Hills subdivision near Lake Corpus Christi. The wildfire burned 200 acres, destroying 2 homes and 1 vehicle. The wildfire forced the evacuation of 90 residents.

Damage
$250,000
Events
1

The full record

2015Solimar Fire

The Solimar Fire was reported on December 25, 2015, in Ventura County, California, and burned 1,288 acres.

When
December 25, 2015
Acres
1,288

The full record

Earthquakes

24 on December 25, oldest first.

Volcanoes

4 on December 25, oldest first.

1933December 25, 1933 Eruption of Bulusan

Bulusan, Philippines erupted with a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 2. It killed 9 people and did severe (about $5 to $25 million) damage. The eruption caused a tsunami.

When
December 25, 1933
VEI
2
Deaths
9
Where
Bulusan, Philippines

The full record

Tsunamis

8 on December 25, oldest first.

Space weather and aurora

5 on December 25, oldest first.

Other weather

7 on December 25, oldest first.

1999Dense Fog in Oregon, December 25, 1999

Freezing fog in north central Oregon and elsewhere in the Columbia Basin led to several accidents in Jefferson Co, Oregon. Poor visibilities and slick roads contributed to a dozen or more accidents on Highway-97 south of Madras. Another accident just west of Sisters, Or.

Injuries
2
Damage
$20,000
Events
1

The full record

Every day of the year

Sources

Gathered from this site’s archives: the tornado record (NOAA SPC, and Grazulis before 1950), IBTrACS and the National Hurricane Center, NOAA NCEI’s Storm Events Database, Regional Snowfall Index, billion-dollar disasters list, State Climate Extremes Committee and hazard databases, USGS, NIFC, GFZ Potsdam’s Kp index (CC BY 4.0), the National Weather Service in Norman, Oklahoma, and Wikidata (CC0), with article leads from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0, each credited where it appears. Rebuilt 2026-09-24.