Long-Term Forecast For Rest Of Winter In Pennsylvania Released

Brutal cold started off the month, but in recent days milder temperatures have brought about a January thaw. So what does the rest of the winter have in store? Will the bitter Arctic air return? Or will we enjoy milder weather for the duration of the season?

The Weather Channel has some new insight.

In a recent long-term forecast update, meteorologists from the Weather Channel put their heads together to come up with a prediction for the rest of winter. The news isn't great, unless you're looking for another blast of particularly chilly weather.

Much of the northern tier of the United States should expect colder-than-average temperatures to end winter and begin spring, the Weather Channel says.

"We expect a significant pattern shift toward colder temperatures in the eastern U.S. by mid-February," Chief Meteorologist Todd Crawford said in a news release. This is due to changes in the upper levels of the atmosphere, Crawford said. Temperatures in Pennsylvania will be at or slightly below average, the Weather Channel predicts.

But the cold air isn't expected in all of the country. La Niña conditions will linger through February, which typically results in a ridge of high pressure near the Southeast, limiting the cold in the region, Crawford said.

You can read the full long-term winter forecast here.

In the meantime, here's the forecast for the week ahead:

Today: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 49. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Tonight: A chance of drizzle or light rain, mainly after 4am. Patchy fog after 1am. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 37. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Monday: A chance of rain or drizzle before 10am, then a chance of drizzle with a slight chance of rain between 10am and 1pm. Patchy fog before 1pm. Otherwise, cloudy, with a high near 49. Calm wind becoming southeast around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Monday Night: Rain, mainly after 10pm. Low around 42. Southeast wind 6 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Tuesday: Rain before 1pm, then a chance of showers after 1pm. High near 56. South wind around 16 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 34.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 42.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 25.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 37.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 22.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 40.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 28.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 49.

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