Winter could bring everything from drenching rain and ice to heavy snow and sudden bursts of bitter cold—but the two almanacs differ over which regions face the most severe conditions. The Old Farmer’s Almanac is forecasting a largely mild 2026-27 winter, punctuated by pockets of intense cold and above-normal snowfall. The Farmers’ Almanac also expects milder stretches but places greater emphasis on an active southern storm track and brief outbreaks of snow and bitter cold across the North.
The two forecasts align in several regions but differ elsewhere, particularly over where the wettest and snowiest conditions are likely to develop - Newsweek has broken this down below. Both almanacs expect a winter in which relatively mild conditions are interrupted by periods of more severe weather. Its forecast identifies central New England, the Appalachians and parts of the West among the areas at risk of above-normal snowfall.
The Farmers’ Almanac likewise anticipates “milder stretches interrupted by quick cold snaps,” with the North facing brief periods of snow, strong winds and bitter cold. It says the northern Plains, Upper Midwest and Great Lakes could experience sudden snow squalls even if temperatures average near normal overall. The Northeast offers the clearest area of agreement.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac expects colder, snowier conditions from central New England through the Appalachians, while the Farmers’ Almanac warns of “several rounds of heavy, wet snow” inland, particularly in January and February. Coastal areas could experience rain or mixed precipitation instead. Both also leave room for substantial mountain snow in the West, although they differ over exactly where it will be concentrated.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac highlights the Intermountain West and Pacific Northwest, while the Farmers’ Almanac sees favorable conditions in the southern Rockies. The sharpest disagreement concerns the southern U.S. The Farmers’ Almanac predicts a “wet and stormy southern tier,” with an active storm track extending from Southern California through Texas, the Gulf Coast and Southeast.
It says incursions of cold air could turn some of that moisture into sleet, freezing rain or heavy, wet snow. The Old Farmer’s Almanac offers a drier outlook for much of the region, forecasting warmer and drier conditions across Texas, Oklahoma and the Deep South. Florida is also expected to have a mild winter, although precipitation could vary between the northern and southern parts of the state.
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