How Much Snow Will We See This Winter In MI? See 4 Predictions

MICHIGAN — How cold and snowy will the upcoming winter be in Michigan?

While winter doesn't officially start until Dec. 21, meteorological winter began this weekend — on Dec. 1.

Several forecasters have put forward their predictions for how snowy the season will be here in the Wolverine State. Here's a look at what they're saying:

AccuWeather

An AccuWeather 2024-25 winter forecast predicts slightly warmer temperatures with average snowfall across most of Michigan.

The private weather company said in its forecast, released Monday, that winter will have some “meteorological twists and turns” that could bring bursts of heavy snow and blasts of bitterly cold air.

Forecasters predict Michigan will be 1 to 2 degrees warmer than average with normal amounts of snowfall, except part of northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, which can see slightly above average snowfall this winter.

“La Niña will be weak for most of the winter,” AccuWeather senior meteorologist and long-range expert Paul Pastelok said. “A weaker La Niña can allow other signals to drive the pattern, more variability throughout the winter.”

The Old Farmer’s Almanac

In its 2024-2025 outlook, The Old Farmer’s Almanac released calls for the coming season to be "a calmer, gentler winter" for much of the United States.

“This winter, temperatures will be up and snowfall down throughout most of the United States,” said Carol Connare, the Old Almanac’s editor-in-chief. “While there will still be plenty of chilly temperatures and snow for most slopes, the high heating costs associated with the season shouldn’t hit so hard. We’re predicting a temperate, uneventful winter — potentially a welcome reprieve from the extremes of recent years.”

The Lower Lakes region, which includes Michigan and parts of Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania, is expected to be warmer than normal in the east and colder than normal in the west, placing Michigan directly in the middle.

The coldest periods are expected in early and late November, in early December, and from late January into early February, according to the forecast.

The forecast also predicts snowfall will be lower across the region, with the most snow in late December, from late January into early February, and from late February into early March.

The Farmers' Almanac

The 208th edition of the Farmers' Almanac is predicting a "Wet Winter Whirlwind" for the 2024-2025 winter season. Its forecast calls for rapid-fire storms that will bring both rain and snow, with little downtime in between.

"We anticipate the winter of 2024-25 will be wet and cold for most locations," The Farmers' Almanac predicts.

In Michigan, multiple periods of wet snow and rain will begin falling in early November with "frigidly cold" temperatures, according to the forecast.

Michiganders can expect some of the coldest temperatures of the winter during the final week of January into the beginning of February, according to the forecast.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center

Warmer than normal temperatures are expected this winter in Michigan, according to a new winter 2024-25 outlook for December, January and February.

NOAA said data supports the development of a weak La Niña that lacks some of the blustery punch traditionally seen in such climate patterns. In the Midwest, temperatures are expected to be below normal in the Northern Plains, with chances of cold or mild temperatures about equal in the rest of the region. Most of the area is expected to see above-normal precipitation.