As 2023 winds down, we wanted to share with you some of the most-read articles of 2023. This article was originally published on October 17, 2023.
The 2024 Old Farmer’s Almanac is now available everywhere complete with its 2023-2024 winter weather forecast. Winter arrives this year on December 21, 2023 and sometimes brings shoveling, snow blowing, dealing with bad roads, and unbearable temperatures with it.
Lately, we haven’t had much snow to talk about in our area, but this winter may be different according to the almanac with above-normal precipitation and snowfall expected for the entire region. Below, you’ll see forecasts for the Atlantic Corridor and the Appalachians, which covers all of our area.
Region: ATLANTIC CORRIDOR (Richmond, D.C., Baltimore, Philly, New York, etc.)
Will There Be Snow? Yes! Winter precipitation and snowfall will be above normal (2 to 3 inches above monthly averages). The snowiest periods will occur at the end of December, late January, and mid-February. We don’t expect a white Christmas.
How Cold Will Winter Be? Winter temperatures will be above normal overall. Specifically, December is slightly above average temps; temperatures for January and February are below average. The coldest spell will run from late January into mid-February.
Region: APPALACHIANS (Roanoke, Montgomery County, Frederick, Harrisburg, etc.)
Will There Be Snow? Expect above-normal precipitation and snowfall. The snowiest spells will occur in late December, mid- to late January, and early to mid-February. We expect a white Christmas in the higher terrain of West Virginia in the north, but not elsewhere in the region.
How Cold Will Winter Be? Winter temperatures will be below normal overall. December temperatures are just 1 degree below average; January and February temperatures are 3 to 4 degrees below average, respectively. The coldest period will run from early January through mid-February.
How accurate are these forecasts? “Every year, we publish the results with a full analysis of last year’s long-range predictions. We believe that nothing in the universe happens haphazardly, that there is a cause-and-effect pattern to all phenomena. However, although neither we nor any other forecasters have as yet gained sufficient insight into the mysteries of the universe to predict the weather with total accuracy, our results are almost always close to our traditional claim of 80% accuracy.”
A preview of the Old Farmer’s Almanac 2023-2024 Winter Preview can be seen here.