(Undated) -- About half of America will enjoy a white Christmas this year. With snow on the ground in so many places and another winter storm moving across the U.S. this week, forecasters say there will be no melting in snow-covered spots any time soon. The latest storm is expected to dust parts of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky on Christmas Eve, and could drop snow across the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast on Christmas Day. Meanwhile, snow-topped mountains in the West will see more of the white stuff. "USA Today" reports that only seven states are snow-free right now -- Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Florida.
America's fascination with a white Christmas can be traced back to 1942, when Bing Crosby warbled the tune of the same name in the film "Holiday Inn." The Irving Berlin-penned classic is the best selling single of all time, with an estimated 50-million copies having been bought worldwide. Ironically, Berlin is said to have written the tune poolside at the Biltmore Hotel in Phoenix, Arizona back in 1940. Phoenix has never seen a white Christmas, and forecasters say it won't happen this year, either.
