COLORADO, USA — Winter weather is making a comeback, according to the Farmers' Almanac.
The Farmers' Almanac has released its extended weather forecast, a tradition that dates back to 1818.
The Almanac predicts that after a warm winter last year, cool temperatures and snowy weather conditions will return to the contiguous United States this winter.
The Almanac said because there are indications that an El Niño will begin later this year, its forecast formula predicts cold temperatures could prevail throughout the country, along with snow, sleet and ice.
"Winter in the Great Plains and Rockies will usher in plenty of cold temperatures and occasional bouts of storminess, bringing widespread rains and snows," the Farmers' Almanac said.
The Almanac's winter forecast places Colorado under a "cold, average snowfall" zone, but New Mexico could be "unseasonably cold" and stormy.
"Our extended weather forecast, which is based on a mathematical and astronomical formula, calls for below-average temperatures and lots of snowstorms, sleet, ice, rain for much of the Great Lakes and Midwest areas of the country, as well as central and northern New England, especially in January and February," the Almanac predicts.
How does the Almanac get its forecast this early? The service uses a top-secret mathematical and astronomical formula, taking sunspot activity, tidal action, the position of the planet and many other factors into consideration.
"The only person who knows the exact formula is the Farmers’ Almanac weather prognosticator who goes by the pseudonym of Caleb Weatherbee," the Almanac says of its forecasting methodology on its website. "To protect this proprietary formula, the editors of the Farmers’ Almanac prefer to keep both Caleb’s true identity and the formula a closely guarded brand secret."
In other words, don't take this forecast seriously — pay attention to 9NEWS' team of expert meteorologists first and foremost.
"It's extremely inaccurate," 9NEWS Meteorologist Chris Bianchi said. "Their 'secret formula' could well consist of a game of eeny, meeny, miney moe."
"The Farmers' Almanac's forecasting methodology is, well, vague. And that's probably being kind," Bianchi said.
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