Another Snowpocalypse of a Winter in Store for Maryland?

Still having nightmares about the winter that wouldn’t quit?

There was bone-chilling cold. And snow. Lots of snow. And still more snow.

Many parents – forced to scramble for child care and shift work plans as school was canceled over and over again – likely still get shivers thinking about two weeks of snow days.

Well, enjoy the summer sunshine, Maryland, because a long-range prediction by Firsthand Weather says the Mid-Atlantic region could see a snowier winter than last winter. Is that possible?

The good news is that Maryland and its neighbors will likely experience well-below average temperatures.

Firsthand Weather founder Matthew Holliday says, “This winter could rival some of the snowpocalyptic winters that occurred a few years back, which will likely end up making this a highly discussed topic throughout the winter.”

The El Niño weather pattern is a bit of a wild card, Holliday says:

“The strength of the El Niño matters and the placement of the above-average sea surface temperatures across the equatorial Pacific matters. … “We will likely only be in a weak to weakly moderate El Niño. The warmer waters in the northern Pacific over the Gulf of Alaska could again be partially responsible for another cold winter in the central and eastern United States, while the West has above-average temperatures.”

If that makes you bang your head against your laptop and look for another opinion, the Old Farmers’ Almanac, which some people swear by, offers similar news: “Winter will be colder and slightly wetter than normal, with above-normal snowfall. The coldest periods will be in late December and early and mid-January. The snowiest periods will be in mid- and late December, mid-January, and early to mid-February.”

One bright spot from the Almanac: April and May will be warmer and generally drier than normal.

So, stock up on supplies this fall, whether it’s firewood, canned goods, liquor or games to keep the kids occupied. We’ve been warned.

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PHOTO: Early forecast models say Maryland residents can expect temperatures well above average next winter, but also more snowfall than last winter. (Patch file photo)