If you live in these US states, you may get a white Christmas

More than a dozen states in the northern US could have a white Christmas this year

A winter storm is forecast to bring a white Christmas to more than a dozen states across the US, including some regions that do not usually enjoy such scenes.

Some regions may see up to a foot (30cm) of snow right before the holiday as a winter storm sweeps the country.

What is a white Christmas?

A white Christmas refers to snowy weather on Christmas day. This could mean snow has already blanketed the ground leading up to the holiday, or that snowfall is expected on Christmas Day.

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (Noaa) defines a white Christmas as when there is at least one inch (2.5 cm) of snow on the ground.

The phrase rose to fame from Russian-American composer Irving Berlin's 1940s hit, White Christmas, written for a musical film Holiday Inn. The tune paints a picture of an old-fashioned Christmas celebration. Actor Bing Crosby gave the first public performance of the song, with its famous lyrics, "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas", in 1941.

Singer Bing Crosby (left) pictured here with American actress Vera-Ellen, gave the first public performance of the song White Christmas

It's one of best-selling holiday songs of all time and has since been covered by dozens of popular singers, including Otis Redding, the Beach Boys and Lady Gaga.

Which states may have a white Christmas this year?

The upper Midwestern US and northern parts of the east and west coast could all see snow on the ground in time for the holiday festivities, according to forecasts.

Michigan, Illinois, Ohio and Wisconsin as well as northern Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire may have a white Christmas.

Snowfall is in the forecast for Alaska, parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia as well as the western states of Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and eastern Washington state.

A rarer white Christmas may also be in store for some towns in the southern states of Kentucky, Missouri and Kansas, according to Weather.com.

Meanwhile, New York City hasn't had a white Christmas since 2009 - and this year is unlikely to change that, according to the National Weather Service in New York.

What states usually have a white Christmas?

The northern US, with its cooler holiday temperatures, is historically the best place to be for those hoping for a white Christmas.

The states of Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Vermont and Maine spanning all the way west to North Dakota, Montana and Alaska, are some of the locations with the highest probability of at least one inch of snow on the ground on Christmas Day, based on historical weather patterns from Noaa.