Farmers' Almanac Says Winter 2018 Will Be Cold And Wet

Unless you live on the West Coast, you're going to want to prepare yourself for a cold and wet winter this year, according to the (unreliable) Farmers' Almanac forecast for the upcoming season.Show more

While overall temperatures might be a little bit more "normal" this winter across the country compared to last year, most locations should expect "above-normal precipitation," according to the Farmers' Almanac's 200-year-old formula.

The areas between the Great Lakes and Northeast should prepare for particularly "snowier-than-normal conditions" this snowy season. If you want to get a head-start on planning your upcoming ski vacation to Vermont, or perhaps start saving for a tropical getaway, the red-flagged dates along the Atlantic Seaboard for heavy rain and snowfall in 2018 are: January 20-23, February 4-7, February 16-19, March 1-3 and March 20-23.

The Almanac’s forecast includes Florida in the "unseasonable chill reaching as far south as the Gulf Coast, with above-average precipitation."

The central part of the country faces a similar prediction. According to the Almanac, states west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains will have "wide swings in the weather pendulum" this winter that will include periods of warm and tranquil conditions and "occasional spells of tempestuous weather."

People living west of the Rockies will have a mild, drying winter than the last, so if you want to avoid the harsh weather, you might want to consider California as your getaway destination.