Winter Weather Forecast 2024–2025 | The Old Farmer’s Almanac
The Old Farmer’s Almanac Long-Range Winter Forecast
Winter 2024–2025 is looking very different than last winter! Here at The Old Farmer’s Almanac, we’re finishing up the 2025 edition. Find out what we’re predicting the winter weather will be like across the United States and Canada.
Will we see the best of winter weather—or the worst of the season? The best of winter might mean powdery snow, sleigh rides, and all of the season’s delights. The worst of winter may bring icy storms, high heating costs, and extreme weather. We all know which face of winter we hope turns our way!
What’s in store? The official forecast will be published soon in The 2025 Old Farmer’s Almanac (released annually around Labor Day). However, as we gear up, here are some of the winter weather factors influencing this year’s predictions!
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What Are Long-Range Forecasts?
First things first. The Almanac’s long-range forecasts are exactly that—all about broader weather trends for the season, not daily weather predictions. In other words, will our winter season be colder—or warmer—than normal overall? Will our winter be drier or wetter than average? How much snow should we expect?
Our long-range forecasts are for the planners among us—the gardeners and farmers, the truckers and shippers, the vacationers, and all of us everyday weather watchers who stock up on fuel and ready our snow shovels—or umbrellas.
How Do We Predict the Weather?
Ever since our first edition in 1792, The Old Farmer’s Almanac has used a unique, proprietary method of predicting weather that we still use today, though nowadays we use modern technology! We employ three scientific disciplines:
- Solar science, the study of sunspots (magnetic storms on the Sun’s surface);
- Climatology, the study of prevailing weather patterns; and
- Meteorology, the study of atmosphere (what short-range weather forecasters do).
We predict weather trends and events by comparing solar patterns and historical weather conditions with current solar activity. We’re looking at “normals” or “averages” over decades, not just how the weather compared to last year. For the 2024-2025 winter season, our forecasts are based on the latest period, 1991 through 2020.
What Is Shaping Our Winter Forecasts This Year?
The Sun is Heating Up!
As you’ve probably heard, we’re nearing the peak of Solar Cycle 25. This 11-year sunspot cycle is expected to reach its maximum around July 2025. This may hint at what winter has in store for us.
High solar activity levels have historically been linked to warmer temperatures, on average, across Earth—although this relationship has become weaker in recent decades. Meanwhile, Solar Cycle 25 has been steadily increasing in intensity and has already exceeded the peak of Solar Cycle 24.
Countdown to the 2024-2025 Winter Forecast
Join our countdown to The 2025 Old Farmer’s Almanac release! For the entire week before our official Almanac launch, we’ll reveal our winter forecasts for different regions across the United States and Canada.
Eager to get The 2025 Old Farmer’s Almanac—with 12 months of week-by-week forecasts plus a healthy dose of wit and wisdom? Order now—and be assured of your 2025 copy!