The Farmers’ Almanac Prediction For Winter Is Giving Us Chills

Now that it’s December and already very cold in much of the country, we’re wondering what the winter ahead might hold so we’ll know how to prepare ourselves and our homes. Enter: the Farmers’ Almanac Prediction for Winter.

Farmers’ Almanac has been releasing this annual report since 1818, and the publication claims its predictions have an accuracy rate of 80% (although some studies show it’s closer to 50%). So what does the almanac have to say about this winter?

Overall, winter 2019-20 will be colder than average, according to Farmers’ Almanac. A map breaks it down by region with conditions ranging from “pleasant” in Texas and “nice” in Florida to “snowy, icy, icky” in Iowa, Missouri and parts of Illinois, Kansas, and Nebraska.

According to the extended forecast, the eastern two thirds of the country in general can expect cold and either snow, rain, or the dreaded wintry mix. The coldest weather is projected for the area from the northern Plains to the Great Lakes. The west coast, meanwhile, can expect a typically mild winter with some rain. The forecast calls this coming winter a “polar coaster,” full of ups and downs in temperature, which sounds much less fun than any theme park ride.

So, in a nutshell, the majority of the United States is in for a chillier season than usual. And be prepared when January hits, because it looks like it’ll be the most harrowing month throughout the U.S. To read the details in full, head over to the Farmers’ Almanac Extended Forecast 2020 page.

Mia Nakaji Monnier also contributed to reporting.