White Christmas may be a thing of dreams this year

NEWARK - A white Christmas may be something to only dream about this year.

The odds of having a white Christmas, defined as having one inch of snow on the ground at 7 a.m. Christmas morning, are slim, 10TV meteorologist Jeff Booth said. 

With a week to go before the holiday, there is still plenty of time for the forecast to change, but right now, it doesn't look like central Ohio will be getting snow.

A weather system is forecasted to be moving through the area over the weekend, but the system is more likely to bring rain than snow, Booth said. 

"We will be getting the warm side of the weather from it," he said. 

While there is some cold air behind the weather system that could bring a wintry mix to the area on Saturday, there still isn't a high likelihood for snow on Christmas morning.

Booth said there is about a 25 percent chance of a white Christmas in any given year. The last time central Ohio had a white Christmas was in 2010.

There is a system that has the potential to bring some snow to the area on Christmas Day, but not in the morning, Booth said. 

The forecast may increase the odds of snow as Christmas gets closer.

"I'm not optimistic, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed," Booth said.