The song “I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas” is undoubtedly one of the most famous of all Christmas songs. Written by Irving Berlin in 1942 and originally featured in the film “Holiday Inn” starring Bing Crosby, the lyrics of the classic song struck a chord with soldiers fighting in World War II and their families who were waiting for them back home.

Just like those soldiers, Selma residents and the rest of the state can expect to just dream of a white Christmas this year.

According to Matt Anderson, meteorologist with the Birmingham Weather Service, the forecast is calling for rain Dec. 25.

“Unfortunately there will be no snowmen and sledding on Christmas day,” Anderson said. “It looks like right now the forecast is calling for about a 40 or 50 percent chance of showers on Christmas day.”

Anderson said the last trace of snow in the Selma and Montgomery area on Christmas Eve was reported in 1962.

“For the Montgomery area there hasn’t been a white Christmas since 1919,” Anderson said.

Traditionally, Anderson said northern parts of the state like Huntsville and Decatur have a greater chance of having a white Christmas, but even those areas have less than a 1 percent chance of seeing snowflakes fall.

“There could be different weather conditions in other parts of the country but as far as Alabama is concerned, it looks like it’s just going to be a wet Christmas with kind of mild temperatures,” Anderson said. “And of course the roads are probably going to be wet so people need to be careful and give yourself a little extra time to get to your destination.”

If a Christmas miracle occurred and Alabama had a white Christmas, Anderson said he thinks people would be shocked and pleasantly surprised.

“Snow in the South is a pretty big deal,” he said.

So although Alabama may not see a Christmas miracle in its weather forecast, residents can all still dream of a white Christmas.

In the famous closing lyrics of Berlin’s timeless song, “May your days be merry and bright, and may all your Christmases be white.”