Cold Wintry Mix Or Mild: Almanacs Disagree On VA Winter Forecast

WASHINGTON, DC – This winter could be a mild one with less snow than normal, or we could shiver through a teeth-chattering cold season filled with snow, icy roads and school cancelations. It all depends on whether you believe the Farmer's Almanac or the Old Farmer's Almanac, which have both issued their forecast for the coming winter.

The two folksy forecasters may have almost identical names, but their predictions for what's coming are at polar opposites. The Old Farmer's Almanac, which released its forecast last week, expects a warm, wet winter with less snow than normal in Virginia and nearby states.

But the Farmer's Almanac dropped its prediction on Monday. And it's a lot bleaker with an outlook that says winter 2019 will be "colder-than-normal… from the Continental Divide east through the Appalachians." The Northeast zone, which includes DC, will endure blustery and bitter winds, widespread snow showers; the Southeast zone, which encompasses Virginia, should expect a chilly, wintry mix in the northern part of the state.

Winter will hang on with stormy conditions up through the official start of spring, especially for the East Coast, the Almanac says. It also forecasts an unusually snowy and/or wet winter across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic States. "In these regions, the thermometer will be hovering just above or just below the freezing mark, which means some of the precipitation may fall as either ice or rain/freezing rain."

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For the Mid-Atlantic states expect:

• Colder than normal temperatures.
• More snowfall than normal, or a cold rain in DC and northern Virginia
• Bitter cold, winds and snow from mid-February.
• Cold to keep its grip on the region after the official start of spring.

"Contrary to the stories storming the web, our time-tested, long-range formula is pointing toward a very long, cold, and snow-filled winter," said the Almanac's editor Peter Geiger. "We stand by our forecast and formula, which accurately predicted the many storms last winter, as well as this summer's steamy, hot conditions."

SEE ALSO:

• Old Farmer's Almanac Releases Winter 2019 NoVA, DC Forecast

The Old Farmer's Almanac has been forecasting the weather since 1792 and was founded by Robert B. Thomas who lived in Maine.

The Farmer's Almanac was founded In New Hampshire by David Young in 1818. Both use secret formulas to predict the weather that they keep closely guarded.

Story by Patch Editor Adam Nichols

Photo via Shutterstock