Meteorological Winter Starts Sunday: How Snowy Will It Be In NJ?

How cold and snowy will the upcoming winter be in New Jersey?

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

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

AccuWeather

An AccuWeather 2024-25 winter forecast predicts we'll see more snow than last year, and says the season "could end with a bang" in the Northeast.

Winter will have some “meteorological twists and turns” that could bring bursts of heavy snow and blasts of bitterly cold air, according to the private weather company's forecast. One of the major factors playing into this long-range forecast is the La Niña weather pattern, which can influence the trajectory of snowstorms.

The wintry weather will be interspersed with some calmer periods, as air from the Pacific flows across the country. Forecasters said that snow is possible in the Northeast during the month of December, though January is predicted to be milder.

"Snow shovels will be needed across the Northeast and Midwest this winter, although they could gather dust during part of the season as the weather patterns play tug-of-war between mild and rainy, and cold and snowy," Accuweather said.

February is the most probable month for the arrival of a polar vortex — a large area of cold, low-pressure air rotating counterclockwise around Earth’s poles that can expand in the winter and send cold air southward. However, there’s less certainty this year about when, or if, the extreme cold air will make it to the continental U.S.

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 Atlantic Corridor Region, which includes New Jersey, is predicted to be average to slightly warmer than average this winter, except for in February — when forecasters say to expect colder weather than normal.

"The region will also experience shots of cold in mid-December, early and late January, and late February," the publication added.

Snowfall will be slightly below normal in the southern part of the Atlantic Corridor Region, with the most wintry precipitation expected in late December and late February.

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.

The Farmers' Almanac says it is "red flagging" the final full week of January over most of the nation's eastern half. Expect a very active storm track with frequent bouts of heavy precipitation along with strong gusty winds.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center

Warmer than normal temperatures are expected this winter in New Jersey, according to a the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center. winter 2024-25 outlook.

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 Northeast, temperatures are expected to be above normal up and down the Eastern Seaboard. Precipitation is expected to be above normal in much of the region, that forecast predicts.