Those of us who lived in Corpus Christi in December of 2004 will never forget it.
It was not in the forecast and came as a total surprise to all, except perhaps Dale Nelson. And, it had only happened once in the recorded history of the city.
It was the miracle of a White Christmas.
According to Weatherr Bureau records, Corpus Christi received 1/10 of an inch of snow on Christmas Day in 1918. But, the Miracle of 2004 was nothing like 1918.
Not only did the city have a White Christmas, it was a record-breaking snowfall as well.
The previous record for Corpus Christi was 4.3 inches which fell on Valentine’s Day in 1895.
The Miracle of 2004 “officially” dumped 4.4 inches on Corpus Christi, and there were reports of even higher “unofficial” amounts throughout the city.
Many towns and cities south of Corpus Christi saw their first “White Christmas” ever recorded, and many area towns received much more snow than Corpus Christi.
Victoria and Beeville recorded 10 inches, McAllen six inches, Port Lavaca 8 inches, and Goliad 9 inches.
According to the Weather Bureau, the Christmas Miracle of 2004 was the result of perfect conditions for snow that are rarely seen in South Texas coming together on Christmas Eve…..temperatures below freezing at all levels of the atmosphere combined with an abundance of moisture.
The snowfall laid down a blanket of white on the city’s palm trees, its beaches, the Seawall, the T-Heads, the roof of the Coliseum, and the city’s monuments. By midnight on Christmas Eve, Cole Park was filled with young and old alike, sliding down the snow-covered slopes on makeshift sleds of cardboard. And, on Christmas morning, hundreds of Corpus Christi yards proudly displayed snowmen created by happy youngsters and their parents.
The Miracle of 2004 led to thousands of memorable photographs taken by the joyful citizens of Corpus Christi. Many of those photos would be entered in a photo contest sponsored by HEB in the days after the miracle snowfall.
The best would be published in a keepsake book by Katheryn Childers called simply “Snow”.
It’s been 19 years since that amazing day in 2004. The forecast for Christmas 2023 does not appear to be favorable for another snowfall this year, but those who witnessed the Miracle of 2004 now know that anything is possible!
Robert Parks is a special contributor to KRIS 6 News. Parks was a history teacher at Carroll High School for 19 years and is now retired. His knowledge of Corpus Christi history makes him a unique expert in the subject.
