Central Pennsylvania Will Not Have a Balmy Winter According to the Farmer's Almanac

There may be more snow in the forecast for an area that received record-low amounts of snow last winter

Photo byAaron BurdenonUnsplash

No one wants to start thinking about snow in the middle of summer. In August, people are reluctantly readying themselves for going back to school and returning to their daily routines. As much as we don't want to acknowledge cold, stormy weather right now, it's always good to get advanced warnings about what to expect this winter.

Luckily, we can always count on the Farmer's Almanac for their predictions about the next few seasons. The publication has been giving extended forecasts since 1818, and this year is no different.

“Our extended weather forecast calls for some blizzard conditions blowing snow into areas over northern New England, the North Central States, and northern and central areas of New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Arkansas,” reads an entry on the Farmer’s Almanac website discussing their extended forecast.

According to their forecast, an El Nino - a high-temperature system off the Pacific Coast of South America - will be active through the end of 2023, continuing into 2024. And that system likely signals colder temperatures across the United States as winter rolls in.

Here's a map of what the entire United States can expect, according to the Farmer's Almanac:

2023-2024 Winter OutlookPhoto byFarmer's Almanac

“Our extended weather forecast, which is based on a mathematical and astronomical formula, calls for below-average temperatures and lots of snowstorms, sleet, ice, and rain for much of the Great Lakes and Midwest areas of the country, as well as central and northern New England, especially in January and February,” the forecast said.

They also predict that those living along the I-95 corridor in the northeast, specifically from Washington to Boston, had a relatively light amount of wintery precipitation last year. But the 2023-24 winter may bring “quite the opposite, with lots of rain/sleet and snowstorms to contend with.”

Here are a few specific predictions included in the Farmer’s Almanac extended forecast that may affect our region:

• “The second week of January will be stormy, snowy, and wet for both the Pacific Coast and the Eastern States.”
• “An East Coast storm affecting the Northeast and New England states will bring snowfall, cold rain, and then frigid temperatures, during the second week of February.”
• “Another East Coast storm will bring a wintry mess to this area during the first week of March.”
• “A possible late-season snowfall over the high terrain of New England during the third week of April won’t be a fun “April Fools’ Day” prank!”

“March will remind us that the Brrr is Back and won’t let go too easily. March’s extended forecast calls for wild swings in the thermometer, especially in the East,” the forecast continued. “And March could go out like a lion, with stormy conditions nationwide.”

Like any forecasts, especially ones looking so far ahead, it is hard to know how accurate they will turn out to be. Last year’s forecast from the Farmer’s Almanac made mention of some severe winter storms that, at least in the greater Harrisburg area, weren’t as bad as they might have been.

But the goal of the prediction is “to help you plan ahead,” the post read, and there’s good reason to at least be aware of what those predictions are.

“Yes, predicting the weather that far in advance has its risks, and at times, nature likes to remind us that she has the last word,” it said. “But we do our best with the tools we have to offer you both these summary outlooks and zoned forecasts.”

To read the full forecast, check out the Farmer’s Almanac website here.