How Bad Will Winter Be In CT? See Weather Channel's Forecast

CONNECTICUT — As the nights become crisper, it can make you wonder winter could bring to Connecticut. The newest long-range forecast, covering December through February, brings cause for holiday cheer.

Mild temperatures could prevail this season across much of the country, especially in the East, according to an updated outlook released by The Weather Channel. "Above-average temperatures are expected in most locations from the southern and eastern states to the West Coast," the channel predicted. "Areas from the Southern Plains to the Southeast and Northeast could have temperatures that are much above average."

Last month, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted slightly warmer winter temperatures for Connecticut. The Weather Company reiterated that forecast.

"From a historical perspective, the increasingly strong La Niña event would force an exceedingly warm winter across [the] southern/eastern US, especially late winter and early spring, with colder air across western Canada and parts of the northwestern and north-central U.S.," said Todd Crawford, chief meteorologist at The Weather Company.

Winter begins Dec. 21.

November has been mild in many parts of the United States so far. Warm La Niña Novembers like this year tend to be followed by similarly mild winters, according to Crawford.

In The Weather Channel's month-by-month forecast, December is expected to bring above-average highs, January could see more above-average highs, and February is predicted to see most above-average temperatures.

So, what could La Niña mean for snow this winter in the Northeast? Generally, it leads to increased snowfall over the Northwest and northern Rockies, as well as in the upper Midwest Great Lakes region, and less snow in the Central and Southern Plains, Southwest and mid-Atlantic, according to Dr. Stephen Baxter, a meteorologist with NOAA's Climate Prediction Center. Connecticut is projected to see a normal snowfall this winter, according to the NOAA's projection. Connecticut's average winter snowfall is 38 inches.

Both forecasts cite an ongoing La Niña weather pattern to cause a warmer winter for Connecticut. NOAA's forecast includes modest probabilities for warmer temperatures from the mid-Atlantic into the Northeast.

As for precipitation, NOAA predicts Connecticut has equal chances of a drier-than-average and wetter-than-average winter.

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Here is the upcoming 7-day weather forecast for Connecticut via the National Weather Service:

Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 54. East wind 7 to 9 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon.

Tonight: Rain, mainly after midnight. Low around 49. Light and variable wind becoming east around 6 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Thanksgiving Day: Periods of rain. High near 58. South wind 3 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Thursday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain before 7pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. Southwest wind 5 to 7 mph becoming northwest after midnight.

Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 58. West wind 5 to 7 mph.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 42.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 54.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 35.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 49.

Sunday Night: A 30 percent chance of rain after 4am. Partly cloudy, with a low around 38.

Monday: A 50 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 54. Breezy.

Monday Night: A 40 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. Breezy.

Tuesday: A 30 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 47. Breezy.