Get your shovels and snow boots ready, Midwest.
The long-range weather experts are calling for above-average snowfall in our part of the country for the 2013-2014 Winter season.
Our favorite time of year is upon us and we snow lovers like what we’re hearing.
Accuweather.com predicts that most of our service areas in the Midwest and Northern Plains should expect above-normal snowfall this season, but an average amount of precipitation. This happens when colder temperatures are present and we get snow rather than rain.
The regions included in this forecast are Des Moines, Minneapolis, Omaha and Kansas City. Generally, the long-range forecasters are calling for warmer temperatures in the West and colder in the East, with the jet stream leveling out and possibly pulling some colder temps west later on in the season. So for much of the Midwest, the worst of winter may not be seen til later into January.
“Across the Ohio Valley, Midwest extending toward the central Plains, a wintery mix will accompany an active storm track.
Farther north, across parts of the northern Plains and Upper Midwest, snow will be favored over rain, resulting in higher snow totals in December into January.
Frequent arctic blasts will take aim at the Dakotas and Minnesota late in the season, leading to some extreme cold at times.
In late December and into January, the Midwest may be in an ideal position for a big storm. Conditions could align to bring Chicago a winter storm in time for the holidays.”
The coldest temperatures are forecast to be in the north-central states early in the month and the Southeast later in the month of October.
As for the rest of the country, the Northwest and Rockies are forecasted to have abundant snow and wild temperature contrasts while the East will remain mild until the latter half of the season.
