What Will La Niña Mean For Snowfall, Frigid Temperatures In MA This Winter?

MASSACHUSETTS — The National Weather Service on Thursday issued a revised winter weather outlook based on La Niña conditions that are expected to develop later this fall.

The outlook could be good news for those who are not fans of a harsh, cold winter as the latest forecast is calling for above-normal temperatures across New England for the months of November, December and January.

NWS's seasonal outlooks provide the likelihood that average temperature and total precipitation for the three-month period will be above-, near- or below-average and how drought conditions are anticipated to change in the months ahead.

NWS's forecast calls for an equal chance of above- and below-normal precipitation levels for the season.

However, an "intense" and "stormy" winter could be in store for Massachusetts, according to a recent long-range AccuWeather forecast.

That forecast is calling for big storms to hit the East Coast — especially early in the winter and as part of a late-winter wallop.

More on Patch:

• 'Pockets Of Wild': New Winter Snowfall Predictions Released For MA
• 'Intense,' 'Stormy' Winter Predicted For MA In Latest Long-Range Forecast
• Fall Foliage 2025 Weekly Forecast Maps Show When Colors Will Peak In MA

That forecast calls for higher snowfall totals than last winter for major Northeast cities Philadelphia, New York City and Boston, although seasonal snow totals may still fall below the historical average as storms later in the winter tend to produce a mix of rain along the coast.

The long-range outlook from The Old Farmer’s Almanac suggests the winter of 2025-2026 will be mostly mild across much of the country, but some pockets could see bitterly cold temperatures and lots of snow.

If that prediction holds true, winter in Massachusetts should be mostly mild and dry, with some big storms still possible.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza).