As Temps Drop, Here's 4 Predictions For Winter In PA

Did you break out that sweater this weekend? Temperatures are finally dipping, and it now feels like the season is actually changing. The chill in the air reminds us that fall is now in full swing. And after fall, of course, comes winter.

So what are forecasters predicting Mother Nature has in store for us this winter? Four agencies that are in the business of predicting long-range weather forecasts have weighed in on winter 2018-19, and here's what they say:

FARMER'S ALMANAC

Eastern Pennsylvania will endure blustery and bitter winds, as well as widespread snow showers, according to the Farmers' Almanac forecast for the upcoming winter. It's a bleak forecast, basically with an outlook that says winter 2019 will be "colder-than-normal… from the Continental Divide east through the Appalachians."

It will be a long winter, the Farmer's Almanac predicts.

Stormy, cold conditions will continue up through the official start of spring, especially for the East Coast, the Farmers' Almanac says. It also forecasts an unusually snowy and wet winter across Pennsylvania and other Mid-Atlantic states.

Click here to read more about the Farmer's Almanac forecast .

OLD FARMER'S ALMANAC

The Old Farmer's Almanac's forecast for winter is in contrast to that of their rival almanac. The Old Farmer's Almanac predicts we can look forward to a warm winter with less snow than normal in the region.

"Our milder-than-normal forecast is due to a decrease in solar activity and the expected arrival of a weak El Niño, which will prevent cold air masses from lingering in the North," the Old Farmer's Almanac said in August when it issued the forecast.

Both almanacs say they use secret formulas to come up with their long-range forecasts.

Click here to read more about the Old Farmer's Almanac forecast.

THE WEATHER CHANNEL

This month, The Weather Channel issued its latest long-range outlook for the 2018-2019 winter across the United States. Winter will start out "relatively mild," The Weather Channel predicts. Temperatures in December will be near or slightly above average in Pennsylvania. Temperatures will drop in January. Snowfall is likely by January, that agency predicts.

"This predicted early-winter pattern of relative mildness in the northern states and relative coolness in the southern states is a common trait of El Niño winters. NOAA has issued an El Niño watch and projects a 70 to 75 percent chance of El Niño conditions by winter," The Weather Channel said.

Click here to read more about The Weather Channel's forecast.

ACCUWEATHER

El Niño will play a role in winter getting off to a mild start in the Northeast, including in Pennsylvania, Accuweather predicts in its long-range forecast released earlier this month. "The season will start out mild for much of the region before colder weather digs in its heels in January and February," Accuweather predicts.

But first, mild air will linger in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic before those cold temperatures move in during January and February. “New York City and Philadelphia may wind up 4 to 8 degrees colder this February compared to last February,” AccuWeather Expert Long-Range Forecaster Paul Pastelok said.

Also, "a few big snowstorms" are likely.

Click here to read more about the Accuweather forecast.

As we all know, long-term forecasts aren't always reliable. So in the meantime, here's your short-term forecast:

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 57. Northwest wind 7 to 9 mph.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 43. West wind around 6 mph.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 58. West wind 6 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 38.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 50.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 37.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 58.

Friday Night: A chance of showers after 9pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Saturday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 60. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Saturday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 42. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 52.

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