So what's it gonna be? Please... not like last winter!

Winter 2018-2019 was epic in Michigan, including an historic bitter cold and snowy stretch in late January/early February that brought some of coldest temperatures and wind chills in decades, some in over a century, to our region.

The Farmer's Almanac has released its annual long-term forecast that includes predictions for the winter season across the United States, including the Great Lakes region. The "Lower Lakes Region" includes most of lower Michigan, along with eastern Wisconsin and northern areas of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and upstate New York.

Here is what Farmer's Almanac says we can expect for winter 2019-2020 in Michigan:

Winter will be warmer than normal, with above-normal precipitation. The coldest periods will be in early December and early to mid-January, from late January into early February, and in late February. Snowfall will be above normal in Ohio and below normal in most other areas. The snowiest periods will be in early to mid-January, from late January into early February and late February into early March, and in late March.

So to break it down, "warmer than normal" jumps out first and foremost. But it is also indicating more snow than normal, so we may be digging out a bunch again during the winter months. And much like this past winter, a cold and snowy stretch is predicted in late January and early February.

Let's hope it's not even half as extreme as what we went through earlier this year. But who knows, it is a prediction after all. And in Michigan, we know how hard it is to predict the weather for the next week, let alone the next several months.

In case you forgot (how could you?), let's relive some highlights from the Deep Freeze of January/February 2019:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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