By: Rae Caffyn

Can you remember how many snow days we had last year? One? Two? The only snow day I can remember was caused by a power outage, not actual snow. Last winter, it would snow about an inch, then all wash away in the next two days because of the rain. For the skiers and boarders out there, Ski Sundown’s base area was more slush than snow.

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You might want to expect more from the skiing season this year. The Farmer’s Almanac predicts that this year will have above-normal snowfall. That’s right. Forget last year’s winter, when we had more rain than snow! This year, it’s predicted that snow will start falling in November, although the Atlantic corridor isn’t expected to have a white Christmas.

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 As well as heavier snowfall, we’re also expected to see colder than usual temperatures, although the Northern Atlantic states are supposed to have temperatures warmer than usual this year. In the deep south, such as parts of Texas and California, winter will be wetter this year, with lots of rain to battle the previous droughts. Unfortunately for the Pacific Northwest, it’s supposed to be cold and dry, with a lot of rain. Some snow is expected from late December to mid-January.

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 Let’s also keep in mind that the Old Farmer’s Almanac has had an 80% accuracy rate in the past, so we can still hope for cold weather! The Old Farmer’s Almanac was started in 1792 and has a new book every September.

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The Old Farmer’s Almanac Prediction for the Winter of 2023-2024

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This winter, one of the influencing factors for this colder year is an El Niño pattern, a natural weather pattern that happens when the Pacific Sea gets warmer-than-average temperatures. The El Niño pattern causes the Pacific jet stream to move further east and south. It also causes warmer and drier conditions in the north and wetter conditions in the south. Another influencing factor is the polar vortex, which happens when the polar vortex is displaced from the north pole for cold blasts to hit the eastern United States and southern Canada. This can cause colder temperatures and more snow as well.

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All in all, it seems like winter this year will definitely be a colder one. So who’s ready to hit the slopes?

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Citations: 

(1.) The Old Farmer’s Almanac

 

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