Winter Weather Forecast for New York City Has Some Good News

NEW YORK, NY — It may not seem like it coming off record highs this week, but winter weather is just around the corner. The folks at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released their winter weather prediction for the country on Thursday, and the city can expect ... pretty much a typical winter.

NOAA predicts a drier, warmer winter in the southern United States and a cooler, wetter winter in the Great Lakes region and northern United States.

So where does that leave New York?

The prediction calls for an "equal chance" of snowfall, meaning the weather data doesn't indicate significantly more or less than average. Same goes for temperature. Much of the United States, from Florida to California and stretching north to the middle of the country, can expect warmer weather. New Yorkers can expect a typical winter.

Many of the non-governmental predictions for winter have not been nearly as kind to the city. AccuWeather released an ominous winter outlook earlier this month calling for colder than average temperatures, frequent storms and higher-than-average snowfall.

In the end, it's a bit hard to imagine any meteorologist can predict what the weather is going to be like in three months, when they have a hard time predicting what will happen in three days.

"This climate outlook provides the most likely outcome for the upcoming winter season, but it also provides the public with a good reminder that winter is just up ahead and it's a good time to prepare for typical winter hazards, such as extreme cold and snowstorms," said Mike Halpert, deputy director of NOAA's Climate Prediction Center. "Regardless of the outlook, there is always some chance for extreme winter weather, so prepare now for what might come later this winter."

Photo Credit: NOAA