Farmers’ Almanac Winter Forecast: What’s In Store For New Jersey

NEW JERSEY — The Farmers’ Almanac just released its 2021-22 winter forecast, and it looks like New Jersey and the rest of the Northeast will be in for a "Typical Winter Chill, Stormy Jan., Tranquil Feb."

Winter officially begins with the solstice on Tuesday, Dec. 21, and the long-range forecast suggests the spring equinox on March 20 could be more winter-like than spring-like.

For the New Jersey area, the Farmers’ Almanac winter forecast says:

The Great Lakes and Northeast can expect potent winter storms — heavy snow, rain or a wintry mix of both — during the second week of January, the final week of February and the second week of March. The Northern Plains and Rockies may see a blizzard the third week of January.

The storied publication expects January to start out mild for most of the country, becoming colder toward the middle or latter part of the month. Overall, January will be stormy, especially along the Atlantic Seaboard, with bouts of rain, snow, sleet and ice.

February should offer some reprieve from storms. In the eastern third of the United States, the Farmers’ Almanac forecasts 57 percent fewer days of measurable precipitation compared with January, though it said “that doesn’t necessarily mean storminess will be completely absent."

Parts of the Northeast, Ohio Valley, and the far western United States could see heavy rains and snow toward the end of February.

Finally, participation will be near normal nationwide in March, the Farmers’ Almanac offered in a qualifier, noting that “in a sense, March will be a microcosm of the entire winter.”

“From start to finish, the month will be full of stretches of uneventful weather, but when it turns stormy, the precipitation will come in big doses,” the publication said. “For the East and Midwest, for example, a late winter storm will blow in at mid-month followed by a nor’easter along the East Coast toward month’s end."

The Farmers’ Almanac, established in 1818, publishes its annual extended winter forecast every August. It says it relies on a specific formula for its long-range forecasts.

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