Winter Weather Forecast 2021
from The Old Farmer’s Almanac

Light Winter for Many, Colder in the West

Every year, folks ask us … what’s the winter forecast? Without further ado, here is a sneak peak at our famous long-range weather predictions from The 2021 Old Farmer’s Almanac edition—including the winter maps for all of the U.S. and Canada.

Good maps, certainly, but not our complete forecast. For that, you’ll need a copy of The 2021 Old Farmer’s Almanac, which can now be found in local stores across North America. Or, order a copy from the comfort of your easy chair at TheAlmanacStore.com.

Will it be a snowy winter? Will it be an exceptionally cold winter? How bad a winter is it going to be? We’ve highlighted our regional weather summaries below to give you an idea of what kind of winter we’re going to have in the 2020-2021 season—and why.

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What’s Shaping the Weather this Year?

Solar Cycle 25 is now underway. Cycle 24 was the smallest in more than 100 years and possibly the smallest since the Dalton Minimum in the early 1800s, while Cycle 25 is expected to also bring very low solar activity. Although such minimal activity has historically meant cooler temperatures across Earth, we believe the recent warming trends will dominate in the eastern and northern parts of the nation this winter, with only the Southwest being colder than normal. Most of Canada will have a cold and snowy winter. However, rising temperature trends mean that the winter will not bring extreme cold; instead, it will be closer to normal

U.S. Winter Weather Forecast 2020-2021

If you were hoping for a reprieve from harsh winter weather this year, we have some news that just might make you smile. We’re predicting a light winter for most of us here in the United States, with warmer-than-normal temperatures in the forecast for a large part of the country.

Uncommonly chilly temperatures will be limited mostly to the western states and northeastern New England. Specifically, winter will be colder than normal in Maine; the Intermountain, Desert Southwest, and Pacific Southwest regions; and eastern Hawaii and above normal elsewhere.

On the precipitation side of things, expect “wet” to be a wintertime constant, with rain or average to below-average snowfall to be the standard throughout most of the country.

Specifically, precipitation will be below normal from Delmarva into North Carolina; in the southern Appalachians, Georgia, and Florida from the Ohio Valley westward to the Pacific and southward to the Gulf and Mexico; and in western Hawaii and above or near normal elsewhere.

Snowfall will be greater than normal in the Northeast, Wisconsin, Upper Michigan, the High Plains, and northern Alaska and below normal in most other areas that receive snow.

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Canadian Winter Weather Forecast 2020-2021

The 2021 Old Farmer’s Almanac Canadian Edition is calling for below-normal winter temperatures through most of the country. However, it’s still winter and expect frigid and frosty weather!

The exception will be in Atlantic Canada and the Prairies, which will experience above-normal temperatures.

Precipitation will be above normal in all of the Commonwealth. Snowfall will be much greater than normal from Quebec westward through most of the Prairies and close to normal elsewhere.

So, while the Atlantic Canada and the Prairies may feel some relief from winter’s chill, they–like the rest of the country—will see lots of rain, snow, and sleet.

Areas from Alberta eastward to Quebec should brace for a virtually continual “Snow Train” that will be carrying a series of winter storms throughout the season.

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Hawaii (Region 18)

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

In Hawaii, rainfall will be above normal in the east and below normal in the west.

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Winter season temperatures will be below average in the east and above average in the west.

Alaska (Region 17)

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

In Alaska, snowfall will be above normal in the north and below normal in the south. Precipitation will also be slightly above normal.

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Winter temperatures will be milder than normal with the coldest periods in late November, early January, and early and mid-February.

Pacific Southwest (Region 16)

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

In the Pacific Southwest (most of California, including San Francisco south to San Diego), winter will be drier than normal with below-normal mountain snows.

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Despite below-normal precipitation, temperatures will be cooler than what’s typical. The coldest temperatures will occur in late December, late January, and mid- to late February.

Pacific Northwest (Region 15)

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

This year, the Pacific Northwest (Seattle south to Eureka) will have below-normal snowfalls with the snowiest periods in early December and from mid- to late February.

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Winter temperatures and precipitation will be close to normal, on average, in the Pacific Northwest. The coldest periods will occur in mid-January and early and late February.

Desert Southwest (Region 14)

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

In the Desert Southwest, snowfall will be below normal in most areas that normally receive snow, with the snowiest periods in late December and late February.

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Winter will be colder and drier than normal, with the coldest periods in mid- and late December and mid- and late February.

Intermountain (Region 13)

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

In the western Intermountain region (Spokane down to Flagstaff, and Reno to Salt Lake City), snowfall will be near normal. Overall precipitation will be slightly below normal, on average.

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Winter will be slightly milder than normal, with cold periods in early to mid-December, late January, and late February.

High Plains (Region 12)

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

In the High Plains (Bismarck to Billings to Denver to Amarillo), snowfall will be above normal in most places. Overall precipitation will be above normal in the north and slightly below normal in the south.

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Winter will be milder than normal, with the coldest periods in mid-November, December, late January, and late February.

Texas-Oklahoma (Region 11)

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

In the Texas-Oklahoma region, winter will be drier than normal, on average, with below-normal snowfall in places that normally receive snow. The best chance for snow will be in late January.

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Winter will be milder temperatures than normal, with the coldest periods in mid-November, early to mid-December, and late January.

The Heartland (Region 10)

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

In the Heartland (Western Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Eastern Nebraska and Kansas), snowfall will be below normal in most places with precipitation below normal, whether rain or snow.

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Expect a mild winter! Winter temperatures will be well above normal, on average.

For the full winter summary with all of the details on the coldest and snowiest periods—including weather predictions by month and by week—pick up a copy of The 2021 Old Farmer’s Almanac—the one with the familiar yellow cover!

Order Your 2021 Almanac Here

Upper Midwest (Region 9)

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

In the Upper Midwest (Minnesota and Wisconsin and northern Michigan), snowfall will be above normal. In the eastern Dakotas, snowfall will be below normal. The snowiest periods will be in late December, early and late January, late February, and early March.

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Winter temperatures will be warmer than what’s average in this region. However, the coldest periods will come in December as well as late January and late February.

The Deep South (Region 8)

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

In the Deep South (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee), rainfall will be below normal, with the best threats for snow in the north of this region in late December and late January.

Will It Be Especially Cold?

Winter temperatures will be warmer than normal, on average, especially across the northern parts of the region. The coldest periods will be in early and mid-December and in January.

Ohio Valley (Region 7)

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

In the Ohio Valley (Pittsburgh; Southern Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois; Kentucky, West Virginia), snowfall and precipitation will be below normal in most areas. The snowiest periods will be early and mid-December and early to mid-March.

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Winter temperatures will be much warmer than what’s typical, despite some cold periods in early and mid-December, from late December into early January, and in late January.

Lower Lakes (Region 6)

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

In the Lower Lakes (Syracuse west along the Great Lakes to Chicago and Milwaukee, most of Michigan, south to Indianapolis), snowfall will be below normal in most areas, with the snowiest periods in early and mid-December, mid- to late-February, and early to mid-March.

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Winter temperatures will be much above normal, on average, despite cold periods in December and January.

Florida (Region 5)

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

Not surprisingly, no! In the Florida region, winter will be drier than normal with less precipitation.

Will It Be Especially Cold?

Winter will be milder than normal, even for Florida, with the coldest temperatures in mid-December, early January, and early February.

Appalachians through Southeast (Regions 3, 4)

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

For the Appalachians and Southeast regions (most of the Carolinas and Georgia), snowfall will be generally below normal. Precipitation will be above normal in the north and below normal in the south.

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Winter will be warmer than normal, on average, with the coolest periods in mid- and late December and throughout January.

The Atlantic Corridor (Region 2)

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

“Sheets of sleet!” In the Atlantic Corridor (extending from Boston to Richmond), the prediction is mostly below-normal snowfall, with precipitation at near-normal levels.

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Winter temperatures will be above normal, on average, which means some typically-chilly winter rainy periods.

The Northeast (Region 1)

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

“It’s Snow Time!” Get excited, folks in the Northeast! We can’t spill the beans on the entire forecast, but snow lovers should be very excited!

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Cold is to be expected during winter, but this coming one will be colder than normal in the northern part of the region and not quite so cold in the south.

For the full winter summary with all of the details on the coldest and snowiest periods—including weather predictions by month and by week—pick up a copy of The 2021 Old Farmer’s Almanac—the one with the familiar yellow cover!

Order Your 2021 Almanac Here

How Does the Almanac predict the weather?

As is tradition, The Old Farmer’s Almanac employs three scientific disciplines to make long-range predictions: solar science, the study of sunspots and other solar activity; climatology, the study of prevailing weather patterns; and meteorology, the study of the atmosphere. We predict weather trends and events by comparing solar patterns and historical weather conditions with current solar activity.

Our forecasts emphasize temperature and precipitation deviations from averages, or normals. These are based on 30-year statistical averages prepared by government meteorological agencies. Read more about How We Predict the Weather.

How Accurate Are the Almanac’s Forecasts?

Neither we nor any other forecasters have as yet gained sufficient insight into the mysteries of the universe to predict the weather with total accuracy, our results are almost always very close to our traditional claim of 80%.

How accurate was our forecast last winter? See our 2019-2020 winter forecast summary.

The 2021 Old Farmer’s Almanac. A Guarantee of Something Good!

As our millions of loyal readers know, The Old Farmer’s Almanac is so much more than the weather. Our 2021 edition is focused on helping us all to live better, stay healthy, and do more with less. All of this, plus it’s guaranteed to put a smile on your face!

The 2021 Almanac is packed with useful information about a host of topics, including a small-space gardening guide on how to grow practically anything anywhere, tips on picking a pet, the definitive guide for avoiding seasonal illnesses, a warning about sea level rise, and many, many more articles.

Plus, The 2021 Old Farmer’s Almanac includes everything that you expect and look forward in from the Almanac–monthly calendars sprinkled with wit and wisdom, astronomical timetables, planting guides, and bits of valuable advice that continue The Old Farmer’s Almanac’s time-honored tradition of being “useful, with a pleasant degree of humor.”

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There are other books out there that call themselves a “farmer’s almanac.” The Old Farmer’s Almanac—with its familiar yellow cover—is the original and most popular in North America.

The 2021 edition is available wherever books and magazines are sold, including grocery, hardware, and home stores. We encourage readers to buy from independent booksellers and retailers whenever possible.

You can also buy easily from your home this year on AMAZON.com and find exclusive Almanac collections in our Almanac store.

Order your copy of The 2021 Old Farmer’s Almanac today to get access to our full winter weather forecast; the best advice on gardening, food, home, and trends; and stories that inspire and entertain. Accept no substitutes: Only The Old Farmer’s Almanac will bring you all of this packaged with a “useful degree of humor” to help you get a jump start on a great new year!

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Tell us!

We LOVE hearing from Almanac readers and cherish any opportunity we have to connect with loyal readers and hear what they think. So, tell us: How long have you been reading The Old Farmer’s Almanac? Are you looking forward to the 2021 Almanac? What did you think of the inside pages this year? Are you surprised by the 2021 weather forecast thus far? (Stay tuned as we add another weather region tomorrow.)

Please comment below! We’d love to hear more about why you read the Almanac, which parts of the Almanac you value the most, and what the Almanac means to you!

Comments

The Editors

August 25, 2020 - 4:53pm

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fog = snow?

It seems that fog in a couple months or more are used as snow indicators. We use the tenth month: For every fog in October, a snow in the winter.

https://www.almanac.com/winter-extended-forecast-farmers-almanac

Our weather history tool might help you count the fog events: https://www.almanac.com/weather/history

Mary Lynn Drul

August 19, 2020 - 10:44pm

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winter weather for yukon\

i would love to know if i am going to be colder than i have been this summer (???where is summer) this winter.

The Editors

August 25, 2020 - 4:56pm

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cold in winter?

You will certainly be colder this winter if you do not put on your parka and muffs, depending on where you are in Alaska. Some areas will experience below-zero temps, while others will be a relatively mild 20s to 30s.

Patricia F

August 19, 2020 - 11:55am

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Canada

Thank you so much for the Canadian Winter Weather Forecast, very much appreciated!

The Editors

August 25, 2020 - 4:58pm

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Canadian forecast

Thank YOU for taking the time to note it!

Isabella Roy

August 18, 2020 - 11:42am

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Planting

I live in Rochdale 01542 MA. When do I start indoor seedlings to get big, strong plants for transfer into my garden beds. This year my plants were too weak to withstand the cold, super rainy springs we are experiencing the last ten years or so. It seems we go from winter straight to summer. It's disheartening. Should I get cold frames or a greenhouse and just grow in the greenhouse year round? How do I make them myself (I'm on a tight budget). We depend on the food I grow and can, and this year my harvest has been dismal. Also, I can't find pearlized seeds anywhere. Please advise! I Love The Old Farmer's Almanac! Have been reading it since the early 90's.

The Editors

August 18, 2020 - 12:44pm

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planting

Hi, Isabella, Thank you for sharing your story. There may be few things more disappointing than a poor growing spell. Many of us here in the northeast suffered from the spring rains. It sounds like you know how to start seeds successfully (not an easy thing for everyone); you can get a sense of when to start them on our individual plant pages. Use the search “button” above, top right, and put in any vegetable, search, then choose the “Growing (vegetable name)” page.

Cold frames might give you some protection, and a greenhouse may be more than you need but if the Sun is not out, neither will be warm. One thought is that you amend your soil so that water passes through more quickly, and plants are not standing in too-wet soil. Or keep an eye on the weather and, if it is so inclement again, plant as late in the season as is reasonably possible. Better days are coming…!

Pattie Arnold

August 17, 2020 - 10:03am

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Regions

Why don't your regions correspond to the USDA regions? It's very confusing. According to the USDA I"m in region 9B but your region is 14.

The Editors

August 18, 2020 - 10:15am

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planting zones vs weather regions

Hi, Pattie, Good question!

You are referring to the USDA plant hardiness zones shown here https://www.almanac.com/content/plant-hardiness-zones Planting zones are based on climatic trends and define, generally, which plants can survive winter in your area. Zone maps are not absolute; if you find the information contradictory to your own experience, you may live in a microclimate. Soil, moisture, humidity, heat, wind, and other conditions also affect the viability of individual plants. (Here, btw, is the USDA explantion: https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/PHZMWeb/AboutWhatsNew.aspx )

Our weather regions are based on the climatological movement of weather systems—in effect, which way the wind blows. For example, the winds across the country are prevailing westerlies, flowing from west to east, so often storms flow that way. Or, for another example, storms or cold weather drop down from Canada east of the Rockies and sweep into the Ohio Valley and on to the East Coast. (Of course, numerous other factors apply but this is a basic explanation.) We simply numbered our regions from east to west. Our regions and the planting zones do not correspond directly.

We hope this answers your question!

claire thomas

August 16, 2020 - 12:35pm

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which state will have the mildest winter?

since travelling south to mexico will be perhaps a bit difficult which us state will be the mildest.

Add new comment

Thank you for your continued patronage. We strive, as always, to be “useful with a pleasant degree of humor.”

Sincerely,
The Editors fo The Old Farmer’s Almanac

Winter Weather Forecast 2021from The Old Farmer’s Almanac

Light Winter for Many, Colder in the West

What’s Shaping the Weather this Year?

U.S. Winter Weather Forecast 2020-2021

Canadian Winter Weather Forecast 2020-2021

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

Will It Be Especially Cold?

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

Will It Be Especially Cold?

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

Will It Be a Snowy Winter?

Will We Have an Especially Cold Winter?

How Does the Almanac predict the weather?

How Accurate Are the Almanac’s Forecasts?

The 2021 Old Farmer’s Almanac. A Guarantee of Something Good!

Accept No Substitutes! The Old Farmer’s Almanac Is North America’s Original Almanac!

Tell us!

Comments

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