'Pockets Of Wild': New Winter Snowfall Predictions Released For PA

Although there are almost three weeks of summer left, winter will be here before you know it.

A new 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.

“Don’t lose track of your snow shovels and umbrellas,” said Carol Connare, the almanac's editor. “Most areas will experience near-normal to slightly milder temperatures, but from the Appalachians south through the Southeast and Florida, and westward across the Ohio Valley, we’re predicting a colder-than-normal winter.”

If that prediction holds true, winter in Pennsylvania should be cold and dry, with near or below normal snowfall.

Here are The Old Farmer’s Almanac’s forecast highlights for the continental U.S.:

• Temperatures: Much of the country will experience near-normal to slightly milder temperatures. Exceptions are the Appalachians, Southeast, Florida, and the Ohio Valley, where colder-than-average conditions are forecasted.

• Precipitation: Winter will be drier than usual overall, with extended dry periods likely. Florida, the Intermountain region and the eastern Desert Southwest may see more rainfall than usual.

• Snowfall: Most areas will see near-normal or below-normal snowfall, but much of the Carolinas, southern Appalachians, eastern Ohio Valley, southern Rockies and eastern desert Southwest could see greater amounts of snow.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac’s predictions are based on a comparison of solar patterns and historical weather conditions with current solar activity.

The publication said factors influencing its predictions for the coming winter are a weakening La Niña climate pattern, the peak of Solar Cycle 25, shifting atmospheric winds and an unstable polar vortex that could send bursts of frigid air and snow deep into the United Stats

The Old Farmer’s Almanac, which has been making weather predictions for more than 200 years, claims an 80 percent accuracy rating. Last year, the overall accuracy rating was nearly 90 percent.

However, the overall accuracy rating for the winter of 2023-2024 was only 64 percent, which the publication attributed to “how abnormal recent weather patterns have been.”

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently issued a La Niña Watch for the end of 2025. That means there is about a 55 percent chance a weak La Niña will develop this fall and early winter before conditions return to neutral.

RELATED: La Niña Watch Issued: What It Could Mean For PA's Winter

La Niña typically means that the eastern half of Pennsylvania sees average precipitation and warmer temperatures, while the western half sees wetter precipitation. La Niña and El Niño are part of the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO), which are phases of sea surface temperature and atmospheric changes in the tropical Pacific Ocean that have global impacts.

NOAA's maps show that eastern Pennsylvania has a 33 percent to 40 percent chance of above-normal temperatures for the winter, while the western portion of the state's winter temperatures are unknown. And as of the latest update, the Ohio Valley region could see above-normal seasonal precipitation.