How much snow will we see in Rhode Island this winter? See 4 predictions

RHODE ISLAND – How cold and snowy will the upcoming winter be in Rhode Island?

While winter doesn’t officially begin until December 21st, meteorological winter begins this weekend – December 1st.

Several forecasters have made their predictions about how snowy the season will be here in the Ocean State. Here’s a look at what they say:

AccuWeather

AccuWeather predicts that Rhode Island’s winter will have some “meteorological twists and turns” that could bring heavy snow and blasts of bitterly cold air.

Rhode Island is expected to experience near normal temperatures. Forecasts call for 30 to 40 inches of snow — which is much more than last year, but still below the historical average of 49.2 inches.

“Snow shoveling will be needed across the Northeast and Midwest this winter, although they may gather dust for part of the season as weather patterns are a tug-of-war between mild and rainy and cold and snowy,” AccuWeather said.

February is the most likely month for the arrival of a polar vortex – a large area of ​​cold, low-pressure air that rotates counterclockwise around the Earth’s poles and can expand in winter, pushing cold air south. However, this year there is less certainty about when and whether the freezing air will reach the US mainland

The Old Farmer’s Almanac

According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, Rhode Island is expected to receive slightly less snow than normal.

Temperatures are expected to be average to slightly warmer than average in the Atlantic Corridor region this winter, except for February – when forecasters expect colder than normal weather.

“The region will also experience cold snaps in mid-December, early and late January, and late February,” the release continued.

The Farmer’s Almanac

The 208th Edition of the Farmers’ Almanac predicts a “Wet Winter Whirlwind” for the 2024-2025 winter season. The forecast calls for fast-moving storms bringing both rain and snow with brief downtime in between.

“We expect the winter of 2024-25 to be wet and cold in most locations,” The Farmers’ Almanac predicts.

The Farmers’ Almanac says there are “red flags” for most of the eastern half of the country during the last week of January. Expect a very active storm track with frequent heavy rainfall and strong, gusty winds.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Prediction Center

Warmer than normal temperatures are expected in Rhode Island this winter, according to a new 2024-25 winter forecast for December, January and February.

The chance of above-average precipitation is about the same in Rhode Island, according to the updated winter outlook released Thursday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center.

Specifically, the forecast assumes that the probability of above-average temperatures is between 50 and 60 percent and the probability of above-average or normal precipitation is about the same.

In an earlier statement, NOAA said the data supports the development of a weak La Niña, lacking some of the stormy impact traditionally seen in such climate patterns. However, a La Niña “could still impact the forecast forecast,” NOAA said.

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