New Long-Range Winter Forecast Released For Pennsylvania

EASTERN PENNSYLVANIA — Don’t look now, but winter is coming. And if you're wondering how bad it will be this year, a new long-range forecast from AccuWeather may shed some light.

In Pennsylvania, it's going to be a stormy winter with the potential for above-average snowfall, according to AccuWeather long-range forecaster Paul Pastelok. He says we can expect some winter weather in December, but the stormy season will kick into gear after the New Year.

“Whether or not it’s snowstorms, ice storms or mixed events, I do feel this is going to be an active year for the Northeast,” he said.

Across the United States, AccuWeather’s winter prediction is showing an above-normal season for snowfall in the Midwest as well. The Southeast is on tap for a wet winter.

Here's a map of the predictions:

What Do The Farmers’ Almanac And Old Farmer’s Almanac Predict For Winter?

AccuWeather isn’t the only organization that recently released a 2019-20 winter prediction, but consensus can be hard to find when it comes to weather.

Followers of the Farmers’ Almanac are bracing for a snowy, bone-chilling season. Meanwhile, forecasters at the rival Old Farmer’s Almanac are predicting to a mild season.

The two meteorological publishers have almost identical names, but their long-range forecasts could not be more different.

The Old Farmer's Almanac says Pennsylvania can look forward to a warmer than usual winter. The centuries-old forecaster, founded in 1792, is predicting our state can expect a "wet and wild" winter in the coming months.

That prediction contradicts the forecast from the 2019-20 Farmers' Almanac, which says the upcoming winter will be colder than normal. The folks at the Farmers' Almanac are preparing for a "frosty, wet and white" winter season.

Both outfits use secret formulas to predict the weather that they keep closely guarded, and only time — and winter — will tell which one has it right.