Diving Into the Biggest Questions Surrounding Weather This Winter

Winter made an appearance last week for much of the U.S. with unseasonably cold temperatures and a series of snow storms that buried some areas in snowfall measured in feet. Was last week's harsh weather a harbinger of things to come over the next few months? Here are some of the most common questions being asked of meteorologists as winter kicks into high gear.

How Will This Winter's Temperatures Differ From Last Year's Unseasonable Warmth?

There is no doubt that the winter of 2023 - 2024 was toasty by historical standards. Once it was all said and done, last year's winter ended up being the warmest in 129 years. The season got off to a mild start with a record warm December and that trend continued for the next few months. The part of the country that saw the greatest departure from normal temperatures was located in the northern tier stretching from Montana and into New England.

If you recall, some winter sports outfitters were forced to close for the season due to a lack of snow and ice. For instance, the ice fishing industry in Minnesota and Wisconsin was adversely affected by the warmth and lack of wintry precipitation.

The latest outlook from the experts at Atmospheric G2 and The Weather Company predicts that the bulk of the country will see another warmer than average winter. However, there will be some exceptions to this rule. The Pacific Northwest and portions of the northern Plains are two places that are forecast to see chillier weather this winter when compared to the norm. Conversely, the southeastern corner of the U.S. is likely to see temperatures trend even warmer than last year, especially if La Niña emerges as predicted.