When does winter start and what will the weather be in MS? The Farmers' Almanac forecast

What will the weather be like this winter in Mississippi ? It's a question we ask every year and if The Farmers' Almanac forecast is correct, the best word to sum it up might be "yucky" with a possible bout of brutal cold.

The Farmers' Almanac, not to be confused with The Old Farmer's Almanac , provides seasonal, long-range forecasts for the entire nation. According to the publication's website, the forecasts are created to adapt to mysteries of nature and a changing world.

The basis of the method was developed by its founding editor according to correlations between celestial events and meteorological conditions.

"Today this formula uses some of the original rules set forth back in 1818, but also accounts for fluctuations in the environment on Earth, as well as sunspots, the motion of the Moon, and other proprietary factors," the website states.

When does winter start?

From a calendar standpoint, winter begins Dec. 1 and ends with the end of February. From an astronomical standpoint, the first official day of winter is the winter solstice, which in Mississippi will occur Dec. 21, 2024, at 3:21 a.m.

According to The Farmers' Almanac, the winter solstice is the moment when the Sun reaches the Tropic of Capricorn. It is also the shortest day of the year and the longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.

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How cold will it be in MS this winter?

If the forecast is correct, it will be mild for that time of year with the overall temperature being a little higher than average, but note: that is overall.

The folks at The Farmers' Almanac are "red-flagging" the final days of January into the early days of February as an Arctic blast is predicted over much of the nation. Mississippi is no stranger to that. Earlier this year a similar bone-chilling event broke daily low temperature records in mid-January with some cities enduring single-digit lows.

So, it might not be too soon to start thinking about extra wool blankets and a big stack of firewood.

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How wet will it be in MS this winter?

This is where the yucky part comes in.

We may have a mild winter ahead when it comes to temperatures, but for many Mississippi residents even that's too cold. We're more inclined to enjoy to warm evenings on a porch or deck, crisp fall mornings and the beauty and warmth of late spring and early summer.

The Farmers' Almanac forecast calls for a wetter-than-average winter. Combine that with cold days and you have something that's about as enjoyable as the furnace we've been living in recently.

What will Jackson weather be like in coming weeks?

According to Accuweather , Jackson should see high temperatures bouncing around from the low 90s to upper 90s for the next three weeks or so with little rain predicted.

In mid-September, we should see highs trending downward from the mid-80s to upper-80s. Low temperatures will settle into the mid-60s to low 70s range.

In early October, begin looking for highs in the lower 80s with temperatures dipping into the upper 50s at night.

Do you have a story idea? Contact Brian Broom at 601-961-7225 or bbroom@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: When does winter start and what will the weather be in MS? The Farmers' Almanac forecast