Millions of Americans could see a relatively mild winter this year, but the latest, updated Old Farmer's Almanac Winter Forecast for 2026-27 suggests that several regions are still in line for colder temperatures and above-average snowfall, particularly across parts of the Northeast, Appalachians and Western United States. The annual outlook, updated on August 31, predicts that much of the country will experience temperatures near or above seasonal norms. However, a corridor stretching from central New England through the Appalachians and into the Ohio Valley is expected to face colder-than-normal conditions, while several regions could also see more snow than usual.
According to the Almanac, the regions most likely to experience a snowy winter include parts of the Northeast, Appalachians, Intermountain West, Pacific Northwest and Alaska. In the Northeast, the forecast draws a distinction between northern and southern areas. Southern portions of the region are expected to experience below-normal temperatures and above-normal snowfall, with particularly snowy stretches possible in mid-December, mid-January and even possibly in March.
The Appalachians are forecast to have one of the most challenging winters in the country, with below-normal temperatures and above-normal snowfall, especially across northern sections of the region. The harshest winter conditions are forecast for mid-January and February, when the risk of heavy snowfall and extended cold spells is expected to be highest. Further west, the Intermountain Region, which includes portions of Idaho, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Nevada and Colorado, is forecast to be wetter than normal and snowy despite above-average temperatures overall.
The Pacific Northwest is expected to see a classic wet winter, with above-normal precipitation and above-normal snowfall, while Alaska is among the regions projected to receive more snow than average, despite above-normal temperatures. "Winter won't look the same everywhere this year," Carol Connare, editor-in-chief of The Old Farmer's Almanac, said in the forecast. "While much of the country is headed for a milder season, some areas will still see plenty of cold and snow." Newsweek has contacted The Old Farmer's Almanac by email for comment and is awaiting a response.
Not every state will be digging out from snowdrifts. The Almanac forecasts generally warmer-than-normal winters across much of the Southeast, Deep South, Florida, Texas and the High Plains. Snowfall in many of those regions is expected to be near normal or below normal.
Florida is projected to have a particularly mild winter, with above-normal temperatures statewide. Texas and Oklahoma are also expected to experience a warmer and drier-than-normal season, though northern portions of the region could still see occasional snow opportunities. The Desert Southwest, including parts of Arizona, New Mexico and southern Nevada, is forecast to be warmer and drier than normal, with below-average snowfall in locations that typically receive snow.
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