NOAA Forecasts Warm, Dry Winter in Rhode Island

The chances of a white Christmas in Rhode Island are looking slim. Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center is forecasting a warmer than average winter throughout southern New England.

According to the prediction, above-average temperatures are likely in Rhode Island, with "no real signal for precipitation," the National Weather Service said. This doesn't mean there won't be any rain or snow in December, January and February, only that totals could be lower than average. Overall, Rhode Islanders can expect a typically cool, wet winter season.

"With La Niña well established and expected to persist through the upcoming 2020 winter season, we anticipate the typical, cooler, wetter North, and warmer, drier South, as the most likely outcome of winter weather that the U.S. will experience this year," said Mike Halpert, the deputy director of the Climate Prediction Center.

This prediction contradicts that of the Farmers' Almanac, which in August said to expect a cold, snowy winter, with a late-season blizzard that could bring as much as a foot of snow to the region.

NOAA's prediction does expect the drought conditions that have gripped the region to improve over the coming months.