Bright, sunny, dry and the 2013-2014 winter forecast from Farmer's Almanac

Good morning Augusta.

This morning it is partly cloudy, then clear. High of 77F. Winds from the West at 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight it will be partly cloudy in the evening, then overcast with a chance of rain. Low of 55F. Winds from the WNW at 5 to 10 mph shifting to the North after midnight. Chance of rain 40%.

The readings from my own instruments are:

The humidity is 85% with a Dew Point of 60.8ºF and a wind chill of 65.2ºF.

The temperature Is 62.5ºF.

We have Southeast winds between 2.0 mph and 3.5 mph.

Our Barometric pressure is 29.72 HPA 1006.2 and rising with a weather graphic indicating sun.  

The UV rating is 0 out of 16, sunset will be at 7:10 PM with Moon Rise at 5:14 a.m. and the moon phase is waning crescent.

For the pilots out there, Raw Metar readings are:

METAR KAUG 041053Z AUTO 27004KT 10SM BKN032 16/14 A2981 RMK AO2 SLP093 T01610139

Visibility is 10.0 miles/16.1 kilometers with Clouds from 3,200 ft / 975 m. Here in the hay field we have nothing but bright sun.

We've had no rain here in the past 24 hours.

"The days of Shivery are back"

by Caleb Weatherbee,  Sunday, August 25th, 2013

After the unusually warm and snowless winter of 2011–2012, many people questioned if winter could make a comeback. Well it did. Last winter was cold and especially snowy.

So, what's in store for this winter? The "Days of Shivery" are back! 
For 2013–2014, we are forecasting a winter that will experience below average temperatures for about two-thirds of the nation. A large area of below-normal temperatures will predominate from roughly east of the Continental Divide to the Appalachians, north and east through New England. Coldest temperatures will be over the Northern Plains on east into the Great Lakes. Only for the Far West and the Southeast will there be a semblance of winter temperatures averaging close to normal, but only a few areas will enjoy many days where temperatures will average above normal.

Precipitation-wise, the Southern Plains, Midwest, and Southeast will see above-normal conditions, while the rest of the country will average near normal. With a combination of below-normal temperatures and above-normal precipitation the stage will be set for the Midwest, Great Lakes, and Central and Northern New England to receive lots of snow. Farther south, where the thermometer will be vacillating above or below the freezing mark, Southern New England, Southeast New York, New Jersey, and down through the Mid-Atlantic region will be seeing either copious rains and/or snows.

And yet, the Pacific Northwest (or is it "northwet?") where indeed wet weather is almost a given during the winter months, the overall winter season could average out drier than normal.

Significant snowfalls are forecast for parts of every zone. Over the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states, we are "red-flagging" the first ten days of February for possible heavy winter weather. More importantly, on February 2, Super Bowl XLVIII will be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey's Meadowlands—the very first time a Super Bowl will be played outdoors in a typically cold weather environment. We are forecasting stormy weather for this, the biggest of sporting venues. But even if we are off by a day or two with the timing of copious wind, rain, and snow, we wish to stress that this particular part of the winter season will be particularly volatile and especially turbulent.

And mid-March could bring a wave of storminess stretching almost from coast to coast, bringing a wide variety of precipitation types as well as strong and gusty winds.

 

Caleb Weatherbee is the official forecaster for the Farmers' Almanac. His name is actually a pseudonym that has been passed down through generations of Almanac prognosticators and has been used to conceal the true identity of the men and women behind our predictions.134 comment