Where Will It Be Extra Warm This Winter? New Predictions Are Out

Are you someone who loves the cold and snow or more of a warm weather person? Well, winter is on the way. Depending on where you live in the U.S., you could be in for a very warm season. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which runs National Weather Service (NWS), has released its latest forecast for the 2023-2024 winter season. So, where will it be extra warm this holiday season and beyond? Here's the skinny.

Looking at this winter in the United States, expect less snow and extreme cold weather, according to federal forecasters. The northern parts of the U.S. are expected to get warmer than normal, and the southern areas are in line to get wetter and more stormy conditions. This is due to a strong El Nino that will impact the winter weather in America from December to February.

"These outlooks provide critical guidance on the upcoming season for many industries and sectors of our economy, from energy producers to commodities markets to agricultural interests to tourism," said Sarah Kapnick, Ph.D., NOAA chief scientist. "With a strengthening El Nino and more potential climate extremes in an already record-breaking year, we're lucky to have scientists like those at the Climate Prediction Center helping to build a Weather and Climate-Ready Nation by providing critical operational seasonal climate predictions."

Warmer-than-normal temperatures are expected throughout the northern part of the U.S. and Far West. More areas with warmer-then-normal temperatures include the Midwest, Northeast, New England, Pacific Northwest and Alaska. No areas of the U.S. are expected to have colder-than-normal temperatures. The rest of the U.S. is expected to see an equal chance of above or below normal temperatures.

Wetter-than-average conditions are expected in some areas of the West, the south-central Rockies, the southern Plains, Gulf Coast, Southeast, lower mid-Atlantic and northern Alaska. Florida and Georgia are also looking at wet conditions. Meanwhile, while the Midwest and Northeast are expected to have lower-than-average amounts of precipitation. These predictions are for the holiday season and into 2024. Find the maps here.