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Old Farmer’s Almanac Publishes 2016-2017 Winter Weather Predictions

By Jennifer Deutschmann
Published on: 08:47 PST, Aug 15, 2016

The Old Farmer’s Almanac has published its long-range forecast, which includes the highly-anticipated 2016-2017 winter weather predictions. Although the accuracy of the forecast is questionable, the publication’s long-term predictions remain popular among many farmers and those who are simply curious.

As discussed on the company’s official website, the Old Farmer’s Almanac was first published by Robert B. Thomas in 1792.

Like most almanacs, the booklet contained astronomical calculations, tide tables, a farmer’s calendar, and weather predictions. However, Thomas’ almanac stood out because the information was presented in a “new, useful, and entertaining manner.”

Although the Old Farmer’s Almanac provides a degree of entertainment, the weather predictions have become one of the publication’s most anticipated features.

Using a “secret” formula, which reportedly includes a combination of climatology, meteorology, and solar cycles, the Old Farmer’s Almanac’s weather team makes predictions for the entire United States.

To provide better accuracy, the specialists divide the country into 18 different regions, which each have their own forecast. Overall, the Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts the 2016-2017 winter season will be far more active than the 2015-2015 season.

Residents in the Northeast Region, which includes portions of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Vermont, are predicted to have a winter that is “colder than normal on average” with precipitation that is either near or slightly above normal.

Region 2, which is along the Atlantic Corridor, and includes Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Virginia, is predicted to have an average or warmer than average winter season with normal or slightly above-normal precipitation for winter 2016-2017.

The Appalachian Region, which includes portions of Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, may experience a slightly warmer than normal winter with above-normal snowfall and near normal levels of other precipitation.

Region 4, which is in the Southeast Region and includes portions of Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, is predicted to have a winter that is warmer than normal with near to below-average snowfall and other precipitation for winter 2016-2017.

Region 5, which includes a majority of the state of Florida, may experience a winter that is “much milder than normal,” with above-average rainfall.

Residents in the Lower Lakes Region, which includes portions of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, are predicted to have a warmer than average winter with above normal precipitation for winter 2016-2017.

Region 7, which is in the Ohio Valley, and includes portions of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, may experience a winter that is warmer than normal with precipitation that is slightly below average.

The Deep South Region, which includes portions of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee, is predicted to have a winter that is much milder than average with below-normal precipitation.

Residents in Region 9, which is the Upper Midwest Region, and includes portions of Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, may experience a winter that is colder than average with precipitation that is slightly above normal for winter 2016-2017.

The Heartland Region, Which includes portions of Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, is predicted to have a winter that is generally drier and milder than average.

Residents in Region 11, which is the Texas-Oklahoma region and includes portions of New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas, may experience a winter that is warmer than average. Although snowfall will be near-normal, other forms of precipitation are expected to be below normal.

The High Plains Region, which includes portions of Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming, is predicted to have a colder than normal winter in the north and a warmer than normal winter in the south. Precipitation will range from above to below normal, as will the predicted snowfall.

Region 13, or the Intermountain Region, which includes portions of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming, may experience above-average temperatures and below-average precipitation for winter 2016-2017.

The Desert Southwest Region, which includes portions of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah, is predicted to have above-average temperatures this winter and less precipitation than normal.

Residents in Region 15, which is in the Pacific Northwest, including portions of California, Oregon, and Washington, could experience above-average temperatures, rainfall, and snowfall this winter.

The Pacific Southwest, which includes portions of California, is predicted to have below-average temperatures and rainfall. The region is also expected to have below-average snowfall for the winter season.

Region 17, which is the state of Alaska, may experience a generally mild winter season with normal snowfall.

Hawaii, which is Region 18, is predicted to have a winter with below-average temperatures and below-normal precipitation for winter 2016-2017.

Although the Old Farmer’s Almanac weather predictions are not always entirely accurate, the publication remains one of the longest-running and most popular in the United States.

[Image via Olonkho/Shutterstock]

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