Farmer’s Almanac Unveils 2023-2024 Winter Forecast

Yesterday I felt a little chill in the air throughout the afternoon and evening and that can only mean one thing: winter is coming. That may seem a little dramatic but we all know that winter will be here before you know it in the Northland. We must start preparing now, as any lifelong Minnesotan or Wisconsin resident knows.

We have definitely had a nice summer, though. We have even seen a few heat waves, which brought extreme heat and heat advisories for our neck of the woods a handful of times. Overall, it has been a pretty nice summer after a long and record-breaking winter.

RELATED: Things To Do In Minnesota Before Summer Ends

So with summer slowly winding down (sorry!) and fall upon us, it is time to start looking into what this winter holds for us. We should at least start bracing ourselves for it, right? Thankfully, the Farmer's Almanac has done that for us, releasing their forecast for the 2022-2023 winter season.

Get our free mobile app

Overall, what is in store for us this winter?

Take a deep breath because this doesn't sound that bad. Plus, how bad could this winter be compared to last, where we had our snowiest winter on record in Duluth? Anything after that seems tame.

The Farmer's Almanac says that the winter season will be "making a comeback" this year, which doesn't really apply to us here in Minnesota, especially in the Northland. They are forecasting "traditional cool temperatures and snowy weather conditions" overall which sounds pretty great to me!

THROWBACK: MSP Airport Shows Photo Of July 2023 Snow Pile

One thing to keep in mind? There's a strong chance for an El Niño winter season lasting from late this year into early next year, which means lots of snow, ice, sleet and cold temperatures. How fun.

How snowy and cold is it going to get?

It will be hard to beat last winter, especially in Duluth! With that said, the Farmer's Almanac says to expect "below-average temperatures and lots of snowstorms, sleet, ice, rain" but did not give specific numbers. Even Texas may see some snow!

When will we get our first snowstorm and our last?

Here's one prediction I hope comes true! The Farmer's Almanac says that we will get hit with our first major snowstorm in the beginning of December, at least for our region. I would be totally fine with that, skipping over our usual Thanksgiving snowstorm!

We can expect snowstorms throughout winter as always, but the Farmer's Almanac did note that there is potential for blizzards during the first week of March for the midwest. We know winter isn't truly over at that point, anyway! The forecast also says March will "go out like a lion" meaning winter will linger into April.

The Farmer's Almanac has been around since 1818. They won't reveal their exact formula but they do say they channel astronomer and mathematician David Young when it comes to their forecast. They use astrological and mathematical formulas to create their forecasts so buckle up!