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Denmark’s White Christmas chances are 50/50, says national forecaster
Ben Hamilton
December 6th, 2017
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Due to strict criteria, there have only been nine since 1900
Will it all thaw away by Christmas? Either way, it’s curtains for the ducks (photo: Hunter Desportes)
We’re dreaming of a White Christmas – just like the ones we’ve only had nine times since December 1900. That’s a pretty poor return in a country that isn’t exactly famous for its tropical weather.
READ MORE: Snow predicted next week as ‘worst winter for five years’ threatens Denmark
Two of those have been in this century – the back-to-back snow fests in 2009 and 2010 when the white stuff laid on our streets and fields for two months and counting – and now DMI is talking up the chances of 2017.
According to the national weather forecaster, the chances of a White Christmas in Denmark are 50 percent. However, TV2’s experts – who are rarely right, it has to be said – rate the chances at just 12 percent, and Danske Spil bookmakers at 20 percent.
Snow on the way, but will it last?
“It is certainly possible that it will be a white Christmas,” DMI meteorologist Frank Nielsen told BT.
A cold snap due to start this coming Sunday, which is expected to bring sleet and snow to Denmark, will continue until December 17, but after that it is harder to predict, contends Nielsen.
“The future forecast is more uncertain than it would normally be at this time, as we have had some rather nice weather in Europe lately,” he added.
On average, every 13 years
It’s worth bearing in mind that Denmark has a pretty strict definition of ‘White Christmas’ compared to some countries where it only needs to snow a bit on the weather station’s roof for the bookmakers to pay out.
In Denmark, at least 90 percent of the country needs to be covered in snow at least five millimetres deep on December 24.
In the 20th century this only happened on 1995, 1981, 1969, 1956, 1938, 1923 and 1915 – so once every 13 years on average.
Snow to follow some strong winds
Meanwhile, DMI has issued a number of weather warnings regarding high winds that are expected to hit the west coast of Denmark on Thursday December 7 between 08:00 and 17:00, with speeds in places reaching 25 metres per second.
The wind will then resume, at a slightly weaker speed, at 19:00 on the evening of December 7 and continue until 18:00 on Friday December 8, and then from 00:00 to 17:00 on Saturday December 9.
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