Prepare For A 'Polar Coaster' Winter, Pittsburgh: Farmers Almanac

PITTSBURGH, PA - With the school year just beginning, your mind probably isn't on the upcoming winter yet and that's probably good. It's going to be a nasty one in southwestern Pennsylvania, according to the Farmers Almanac.

The periodical's 2020 edition is calling for a "Polar Coastal Winter" with frigid temperatures aplenty and abundant snowfall for a majority of the country. "We can expect yet another wild ride this winter with extreme temperature swings and some hefty snowfalls," Farmers Almanac editor Pete Geiger said.

Only the West Coast will fully escape winter's wrath, according to the Famers Almanac. The worst of the bitterly cold winter conditions will affect areas east of the Rockies all the way to the Appalachians.

The Farmers' Almanac also predicts is also predicting above-average precipitation during the winter in the Midwest and Great Lakes regions. That means southwestern Pennsylvania should brace for plenty of snow and a wintry ix of rain and sleet.

The Famers Almanac also warned that January could produce a hefty amount of snow, with storms bringing power wind gusts that will obscure visibility for those traveling.

More bad news: Spring will be slow to arrive in 2020, the Farmers Almanac says. That means southwestern Pennsylvania will have to deal with cold spells and sporadic snowfall bursts into April.

So enjoy the fall weather while it lasts. A brutal winter could be on the way.