'Brown' Christmas In Store For Woodbury

It looks like Woodbury folks dreaming of a white Christmas might be out of luck.

Forecasts call for sunny skies between now and Christmas, and the light dusting that hit Woodbury on Wednesday didn't amount to much.

So what about people looking to enjoy outdoor activities?

At Woodbury’s , general manager Greg Peterson said there has been a slight dip in the purchase of cross-country skis and snowshoes.

“Obviously, you’re going to be dependent on Mother Nature,” he said.

But otherwise, people are buying downhill skis, snowboards and skates at the same clip as previous years, Peterson said, noting that places like Afton Alps can make their own snow.

“Most people—we know that snow is coming,” he said. “It’s an inevitable force.”

Plus, the weather of late has made pond skating more popular.

“Your ponds are going to be like glass at this time of year,” he said.

The holidays are a good time for retail in general, Peterson said, and the dearth of snow has its benefits, too.

“We had a guy come in and buy golf clubs on Sunday, and he came back and bought skis on Monday,” he said.

In Oakdale, golfers have taken advantage of the lack of snow to get in some extra rounds at Oak Marsh Golf Course.

At in Woodbury, an employee said sales of shovels and snowblowers were down so far this year. (A call to the manager at Home Depot was not returned.)

The last time the Twin Cities had a “brown” Christmas was in 2006, according to the National Weather Service. A “white” Christmas is loosely defined as having an inch or more of snow on the ground at 6 a.m. on Dec. 25.

The Twin Cities has a white Christmas 72 percent of the time, according to the state Climatology Office.

The National Weather Service expects mostly clear skies tonight, with another sunny day on tap for Christmas Eve, highs near 36. The same is expected for Christmas Day, with highs near 35.