Weather
Winter 2023-24 Forecast: How Much Snow Will Connecticut Get?
Connecticut didn't get hit very hard with winter last year. What do the weather wizards say is in the cards for the 2023-24 season…?
CONNECTICUT — It’s hard to think about winter with the kind of heat Connecticut has been experiencing this summer. But a look ahead from the Farmers' Almanac in its extended 2023-24 winter forecast suggests not only that "the BRRR is back," but also that snow shovels will see plenty of action.
Connecticut and the Northeast, which saw a lack of wintry precipitation last winter, should experience quite the opposite, with lots of rain/sleet and snowstorms to contend with, according to the almanac. If the forecast holds true, the second week of February could be one to plan around, with an East Coast storm affecting the Northeast and New England states bringing snowfall, cold rain and then frigid temperatures.
The overall forecast calls for a snowier and colder winter ahead with the arrival of El Niño, a climate cycle that results in the unusual warming of equatorial Pacific Ocean waters. El Niño can have a range of effects, from heavy precipitation in some parts of the world and droughts in others, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
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The Farmers' Almanac said the start of meteorological winter on Dec. 1 — the winter solstice isn’t until Dec. 21 — is expected to usher in a snowy month, with blizzard conditions expected over northern New England and the North Central states, and as far south as New Mexico, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
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Much of the Great Lakes, Midwest, and central and northern New England are expected to see below-average temperatures, along with lots of snowstorms, sleet, ice and rain, especially during January and February, according to the forecast.
The Great Plains and Rockies are expected to be cold with occasional storms, while the Pacific Northwest could experience an unusually stormy winter, according to the forecast. Depending on the strength of the El Niño, it could send snowy conditions to California and the entire Southwest, the forecast said.
Unusually cold weather is forecast for Texas in January and February, and the Southeast and Florida could see a wetter-than-normal winter with average temperatures, save a few frosts.
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