You May Not Like These Predictions About North Carolina’s Brutally Snowy Upcoming Winter
The Old Farmers Almanac has officially released its upcoming predictions for North Carolina’s winter season, and if you’re dreaming of snow, you’re in luck. As usual, across the nation, it all depends where you’re located for just how brutal or mild your winter will be. Since 1818, the Farmers’ Almanac have used a ‘secret’ formula for information as well as signs from nature for predictions.
“One of the key components in our formula is the Moon and its motions. The Moon has a proven influence on the tides, and it is our belief that it may have effects on our atmosphere as well. Ocean tides can be accurately predicted, so part of our formula relies on the belief that we can line up certain weather patterns with a specific position of the Moon in its orbit…” – Caleb Weatherbee, Official Almanac Weather Prognosticator
But now it’s time to get to the good stuff, wondering what’s in store for North Carolina this winter?
For the base prediction, North Carolina will experience "above normal" precipitation and for the entire winter...it's looking "wet, wintry, and white."
So does this mean we'll have a white Christmas? Right now there's no telling, but they did note "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."
If you love the snow, you're certainly in luck, but if you're in more southern or coastal sections of the state, you might just get stuck with heavy rain and cold temps.
For the entire east coast, the Farmers Almanac reported, "Break out the space heaters, umbrellas, and warm socks, because the Southeast will see below-normal winter temperatures with an unseasonable chill reaching as far south as the Gulf Coast, with above-average precipitation."
While temperatures might be cold, we're really keeping our eye on these snow predictions which include "above-normal" levels and a "wintry chill, wet & white"
Will those along the coast see snow? The predictions are leaning towards yes with even gulf-coast areas predicted to experience below average temperatures. But we might have to wait until the dead of winter. For a three-month period spanning through November, the National Weather Service says mid-Atlantic regions will experience above average temperatures. You can thank no El Niño for tempering conditions, NOAA reported, "Despite the ENSO-neutral forecast lean, we still have a fair number of models forecasting at least a weak El Niño through the upcoming winter. Therefore, forecasters certainly are not ruling out the development of El Niño; in fact, they are calling for an elevated chance, relative to average, of El Niño onset."
While we might have to wait a few months for snow, it's always good to have some snow shovels and a sled or two on hand.
We all know how crazy and out of control things can get come winter, and random snow is always possible in North Carolina. It's best to be prepared prior to a massive snowstorm (massive, in North Carolina terms, means around five inches of snow). It seems we might be due for more than one epic snowstorm this winter, and even one spanning into March!
How do you feel about the predictions for the upcoming winter? Are you excited or dreading it? Have you read the Farmers’ Almanac before? I remember reading it as a young child in hopes we’d get some snow days during the school year! It seems they usually predict pretty close to actuality.
Sure, we might be talking winter, but we’re still in summer right now (with hot temps to back it up). So make sure to complete these 10 awesome summer day trips before it’s too late!
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