NOAA and the National Weather Service have released their winter 2026-2027 outlook, and the agencies' forecast is lining up with what many other forecasters are calling for this winter.
"A very strong to historically strong El Niño will influence weather patterns through the winter season," the weather service shared on its Facebook page.
For Rhode Island, the weather service and NOAA said that above normal temperatures are favored for December through February.
As for precipitation, confidence is higher on what to expect.
The weather service said there have only been six very strong El Niño events, so it is a small sample size for any firm conclusions.
"We're still likely to experience at least a few periods of noteworthy cold weather," the weather service said. The snow cover would play a large role in determining temperatures.
According to weather service data, the first measurable snowfall in Rhode Island typically occurs toward the end of November.
No snowfall has occurred yet this fall for the Ocean State.
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