Farmers' Almanac Releases Winter 2018 Forecast For Rhode Island

By Tom Davis (Patch Staff)

The Farmers’ Almanac has released its long-range prediction for winter 2018. The news won't be good for Rhode Island, unless you like to go sledding or you drive a four-wheel-drive truck.

The publication predicts this winter will be a bit more “normal” as far as the temperatures are concerned, but that isn't necessarily a good thing. It means Rhode Island will experience "above-normal" precipitation, and that the region will have a "cold-and-snowy" winter.

How much snow can we expect in Rhode Island?

A good amount, the Farmers’ Almanac says.

From the Great Lakes into the Northeast, snowier-than-normal conditions are expected. We can hear the skiers, boarders, and snowmobilers cheering from here!

The Farmers' Almanac is also "red-flagging the 2018 dates of January 20-23, February 4-7 & 16-19, and March 1-3 & 20-23 along the Atlantic Seaboard for some heavy precipitation."

Good news for skiers and snow enthusiasts, but for those looking to build sandcastles, not-so-good news, but a good time to book that tropical getaway.

Here is the forecast for the next three months:

AUGUST 2017

• 12th-15th: Hit-or-miss locally strong thunderstorms.

• 16th-19th: Locally heavy rain is concentrated over Maryland and Delaware. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania, most of New Jersey, New York, and New England enjoy a pleasant spell of weather.
• 20th-23rd. Lingering rain clouds might eclipse the solar eclipse on the 21st. Wet, then fair skies return.
• 24th-27th: Fair skies.
• 28th-31st: Thunderstorms, some heavy, followed by fair weather.

SEPTEMBER 2017

• 1st-3rd: Wet weather for New England; only scattered showers and thunderstorms for the southern states of this region.
• 4th-7th: Fair and pleasant.
• 8th-11th: Thunderstorms sweep in from the West followed by clearing skies.
• 12th-15th: Mostly cloudy with scattered showers.
• 16th-19th: Rain, then turning fair and cooler.
• 20th-23rd: Fair skies.
• 24th-27th: Thunderstorms followed by clearing and cooler conditions.
• 28th-30th: Hurricane or tropical storm threat for the Atlantic Seaboard.

OCTOBER 2017

• 1st-3rd: Mostly fair.
• 4th-7th: Fair/windy.
• 8th-11th: Strong disturbance sweeps off the Atlantic Coast bringing heavy rain with gale-force winds along New England Coast.

Click here to read the full long-range forecast by the Farmers’ Almanac.

PHOTO: Flickr, Niq Scott