Sure, the Farmers' Almanac swung and missed massively on last year's winter outlook for Minnesota, but that doesn't mean the publication will be wrong when predicting what Old Man Winter has up his sleeve this winter.
It doesn't mean it'll be right either, but nonetheless the Farmers' Almanac is predicting as follows: "Taking into account the effect La Niña has on the weather, along with our long-standing formula, we anticipate the winter of 2024-25 will be wet and cold for most locations."
For Minnesota, the almanac's formula — based on the environment, sunspots, motion of the moon and other variables — suggests a cold winter with average snowfall is coming to the Land of 10,000 Lakes. The official theme: "Cold, average snowfall."
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An average winter snowfall total in the Twin Cities — based on the modern average from 1981 to 2010 — is 54.4 inches. We didn't come close to that last winter when the Farmers' Almanac predicted above normal snowfall, only for it to turn out to be the warmest winter on record in Minnesota.
It's unclear when the biggest storms will hit Minnesota this winter, but the almanac is confident that Minnesotans will need to live up to the Bold North moniker — "wear your socks to bed at night!" — in late January and early February because it's going to be freezing.
"The coldest outbreak of the season will come during the final week of January into the beginning of February, when frigid Arctic air brings a sharp plunge in temperatures almost nationwide, but especially across the Northern Plains," the almanac predicts.
That's actually worse news for the Dakotas, but it probably means a polar plunge in Minnesota as well.
Related: La Niña is coming. What does it mean for Minnesota's winter?
How has the Farmers' Almanac done with its past five winter outlooks for Minnesota?
2019-20 theme: 'Frigid & snowy'
The result? The Twin Cities saw 51.5 inches of snow, so not exactly as snowy as the farmers behind this formula were anticipating.
2020-21 theme: 'Cold, above normal snowfall'
The result? Below average snow fell in the Twin Cities with just 48.7 inches in total. About two-thirds of it fell October-December, leaving January-March a bit dry.
2021-22 theme: 'Numb's the word, just shovelin' along'
The result? It was a pretty average winter with 50.2 inches of snow falling in the Twin Cities, including a whopping 21.5 inches that December.
2022-23 theme: 'Hibernation zone, glacial, snow-filled'
The result? Credit where credit is due on this one because Duluth set its all-time snowfall record and the Twin Cities was hammered with 90.3 inches of snow.
2023-24 theme: 'Cold, average snowfall'
The result? Record warmth and the snow didn't really arrive until March. In the end, just 29.2 inches of snow was recorded in the Twin Cities, with 15.2 inches coming in March. November-February produced a grand total of 14.3 inches.
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