How cold and snowy will this winter be in NY? Here's what the Farmers' Almanac predicts

Unpack your cold weather gear and prepare your snow shovels and umbrellas, a mix of rainy and snowy weather are expected to return this winter. The Farmer's Almanac predicts a season of "rapid-fire storms that will bring both rain and snow, with little downtime in between." The publication recently published its Winter 2025 Extended Weather Forecast report, declaring a "wet winter whirlwind" for the months ahead.

"It definitely looks more wet than white in many areas," Farmers' Almanac editor Sandi Duncan said. "Obviously, depending on where you live, there might be more white than wet, but we're focusing in on the wet winter ahead."

The climate pattern known as La Niña – likely to emerge in the September-November period, the Climate Prediction Center said in a recent forecast – could result in a warmer winter than normal in much of the country.

Average or above normal temperatures are forecast for New England, the Northeast, the Southern Plains, the Southeast and Atlantic Coast regions.

Farmers' Almanac weather outlook and predictions for New York

While much of the nation is expected to see a wet and mild winter, the coldest temperatures are predicted in the Great Lakes region, not far from New York. The Empire state is within the Northeast and New England region, where the Farmers' Almanac predicts above-normal amounts of winter precipitation and near-to above-normal temperatures.

Snow will be most prevalent over the interior and mountainous terrains, while sleet and rain will be more common near the coast, especially near and along the Interstate 95 corridor, according to the report.

The coldest outbreak of the season is predicted in late January into early February, when frigid Arctic air is expected bring a sharp plunge in temperatures across the country. As this very cold air blows across the Great Lakes, heavy snow showers and snow squalls is predicted to bring intense bursts of snow to the east of the lakes.

The end of January gets a red flag for much of the nation due to the potential of "a very active storm track" expected to bring strong and gusty winds, along with heavy precipitation – "copious amounts of snow, rain, sleet, and ice (depending on where you live) could fall," the Almanac says.

The winter chill is expected to "hang on" longer than usual in the North, Northeast and middle of the U.S. "So it looks like it's going to feel like a longer winter, even if it's a little warmer in certain areas that usually get snowier conditions," Duncan said.

Rochester NY weather: Snowfall averages

Last winter, 52.5 inches of snow fell in Rochester, with the snowiest month of January tallying nearly half of the season's snow - 25.6 inches at the Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport, according to the National Weather Service in Buffalo. The normal seasonal snowfall average is around 102 inches.

Rochester's snowiest season in the last two decades was in 2002-03, when 135.2 inches fell. The least snowy season in the last 20 years was in 2022-23 when 50.4 inches fell, according to the Weather Service. The least snowy winter on record was in 1932-33, when only 29.2 inches fell.

While flurries often fly in Rochester as early as October, the first measurable snowfall of the season typically lands in November. Snow can fall here as late as May, though it is uncommon.

Includes reporting from USA Today senior reporter Mike Snider

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: How cold and snowy will this winter be in NY? Here's what the Farmers' Almanac predicts