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Farmers’ Almanac Predicts a Wet Winter and Late Spring for Appalachia

By Adam Estabrook

Winter is coming, and recent days have finally seen some lower temperatures, a reminder of the season to come. The question is, what does this year have in store?

The Farmers’ Almanac, a weather-predicting publication active since 1818, has made some sweeping predictions, with somewhat dire news. “The worst of the bitterly cold winter conditions will affect areas east of the Rockies all the way to the Appalachians.” This, of course, seems to include us.

The good news is that the coldest of their predicted “bitterly cold” temperatures will largely affect the Northeast and the Great Lakes, meaning that while we may see a dip in temperature, others will have it worse. And just as well, the coldest point of the season won’t come around until next year, toward the end of January.

A deep cold for our northeastern neighbors brings a snowier prediction for them; for us, things are more likely to be wet than white. AccuWeather seems to echo this, showing that while temperatures are going down, we’ll be distant enough from frigid temperatures to avoid heavy snows, at least for this year. This also means that our Christmas might be slushier than snowy.

The Farmers’ Almanac indicates that spring will be a slow start for us, and especially for our northeastern neighbors. For some, winter may linger until as late as April. For us in the High Country, with the winter chill deepening in January, the news may be the same. The Old Farmer’s Alamanc (not to be confused with the Farmers’ Almanac), a weather-predicting publication active since 1792, shares in the prediction that winter may bleed into spring in our area.

It’s important to remember that long range weather forecasts such as these are not always accurate, and weather is always subject to change. Check in with most recent forecasts for details, and keep an eye on the Farmers’ Almanac and the Old Farmer’s Almanac for news posts and weather updates.