Chicago could have its warmest Christmas Day in 25 years as chances of a 'white Christmas' dwindle across country

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Chicago is poised for its warmest Christmas in 25 years, while record warm temperatures are expected to quash chances of a white Christmas.

Weather forecasts for Chicago show it will reach a high of 52 degrees on Christmas Day – a record not seen since 1994, according to data from the National Weather Service.

An NYPD officer, left, patrols near the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, in New York.  (AP)

Other cities, meanwhile, are expecting their warmest temperatures in years, dwindling chances of a “white Christmas” – which is defined by the National Weather Service “as having 1 inch or more of snow on the ground Christmas morning.”

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Locations in the U.S. with the highest probability of a white Christmas include most of Idaho, Minnesota, Maine, and Upstate New York, where chances increase to over 80 percent. In the Allegheny Mountains of Pennsylvania and West Virginia, a roughly 50 percent chance exist.

New York and Philadelphia are looking at highs in the mid-40s, while Dallas and Houston will experience temperatures in the lower 70s. Washington, D.C. is forecasted to experience a high of 50 degrees.

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Officials say the warmer weather could alleviate the usual Christmas crush at airports.

According to TSA officials, up to 50,000 people are expected to travel through New York City’s LaGuardia Airport on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport is expecting higher numbers.

Fox News’ Travis Fedschun contributed to this report.