A Wildly Extreme Winter is Predicted – Will New Jersey Get Hit Hard with Snow?
The annual Farmer's Almanac winter forecast is out, and the majority of the country is expected to experience an active season. But, what does that mean for New Jersey?
Listen to Matt Ryan weekday afternoons on 94.3 The Point and download our free 94.3 The Point app.
The Farmer's Almanac has been predicting weather trends since the late 1700s.
How does The Farmer's Almanac predict the weather?
According to the Old Farmer's Almanac website, they use three different "scientific disciplines" for their long-range forecasts.
Solar science - the study of sunspots and solar activity.
Climatology - the study of weather patterns.
Meteorology - the study of the atmosphere.
Long story short, they compare solar patterns, weather history, and current solar activity.
Will New Jersey get a lot of snow this winter?
The title of The Almanac's forecast is "Season of Shivers." They are expecting New Jersey and the rest of the U.S. to experience "one of the longest and coldest" winters in years.
Cold temperatures are one thing. Precipitation is another. The Farmer's Almanac is predicting a rough winter for The Garden State. Nearly all of the state is in the "cold, snowy" category.
As you dig deeper, the Almanac is narrowing in on January and February for the most activity in NJ.
Take a look at the U.S. map and see if you notice what I noticed.
To the north, it's cold and wet and to our south, it's cold and dry, but the tri-state is in the white indicating a cold and snowy winter.
I'm not a meteorologist, but that looks like we're expected to get a lot of nor easters. Those are the winter storms that pack the most punch.
How accurate is The Farmer's Almanac?
The Almanac says it's 80% accurate. Actual meteorologists don't put much stock in their forecasts.
Do we get the shovels and salt ready or relax until December rolls around? I'm thinking the latter, but it's been a while since we've had a rough winter. Time will tell.
