Keep dreaming Hamilton it's not looking like we'll have a white Christmas

If you're still hoping towakeup to a white Christmas in Hamilton, you might be dreaming.

"We do see flurries in the air, but only a 30 to 40 per cent chance," explained David Phillips, senior climatologist with Environment Canada.

"We don't see any major storms coming at all, so my sense is that it's not looking a lot like a white Christmas."

While most of the country's landmass will be blanketed in ice andsnow this year, Phillips saidmuch of southwestern Ontario will be left out ofthe cold.

"I think 85 per cent of Canada is going to have a white Christmas, but I think 85 per cent of Canadians are going to have a green Christmas," he said, adding atypical December sees about 35 cm of the white stuff dumped on the Hamilton area.

But so far this month we've only seen a scant 3 cm and the fickle flakes are already long gone.

The past two Christmases for the city were convincingly white, with 19 cm last year and a solid 7 cm in 2016, while both 2015 and 2014 were green.

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These days crossing your fingers and hoping often isn't enough toguaranteea festive frosting, said Phillips.

"People have to dream a lot harder for a white Christmas now or maybe even get to the point of praying for it because it's changed over the years."

Thatwarm weather is expected to stick around into the new year.

Nosnow means it's easier to go

Still, Phillips says it isn't all bad news. A green Christmas makes for easier travel and that can offerbenefits of its own for shoppers, travellers and those who have maybe seen enough of certain family members.

"For example, that irritating brother-in-law that stays around longer that you want him to, hey, he's going to be able to go home because he won't be able to use weather as an excuse," the climatologist quipped.

And if that doesn't do it for you,those flurries floating through the air might be enough to put you in the Christmas spirit.

Just don't look down at the ground.

"Look in the air and you'll see those snowflakes," said Phillips."It'll be part of the tinsel and the toys and the turkey and I think people will feel kind of in the mood."