North Carolina’s Winter Forecast From the Farmer’s Almanac
It’s never too early to plan for winter, especially for those is colder climates with plenty of snow and ice. But, even for the lucky few who are in warmer…
It's never too early to plan for winter, especially for those is colder climates with plenty of snow and ice. But, even for the lucky few who are in warmer areas of the country, winters vary, and sometimes, even hotspots get colder winters than expected. The first day of autumn is set for Sept. 22 this year, and the first day of winter is Dec. 21. But, well before winter arrives, we're already getting an idea of what to expect from the weather, thanks to the Farmer's Almanac.
The Farmer's Almanac Winter Weather Forecast for North Carolina
Back in July, the Farmer's Almanac released its fall weather predictions for the 2025 season, and in general, the Old Farmer's Almanac predicted a warmer-than-average fall season for most of the United States. There were some drought concerns, too, in that forecast, with the Almanac predicting drier-than-normal conditions in California, Florida and Maine.
Now, the Farmer's Almanac is back with its winter forecast. In their just-released extended forecast for winter weather 2025-2026, they're calling for "a season of dramatic swings and widespread wintry weather." This is quite different from last winter, when the Almanac said to expect a "calmer, gentler" season in most areas of the country. This time around, they're expecting a "chill, snow, repeat" kind of season.
In the weather forecast, the Almanac says to expect "the cold and snow" to even "make an appearance as early as September in some areas of the country." The coldest weather will fall from the Northern Plains through New England and throughout the Pacific Northwest, as well as the Midwest. They're also expecting above-average precipitation, which means "impressive snowfall totals" in colder areas, such as New England and the Midwest regions.
As for North Carolina, the Almanac predicts "average temps" and a "wet" season. The average temperatures are fine, but the wetness could mean extra precipitation.
So, how accurate is the Farmer's Almanac? Well, the Almanac claims a success rate of 80 to 85%. Their weather predictions are based on a formula first created in 1818 by their founding editor, David Young.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has also released their winter 2025-26 forecast, and it's starkly different from the Almanac version. The NOAA predicts a warmer-than-normal winter for much of the U.S, looking at November through January, with the exception being the northern most areas of the country. Looking at December through February, the NOAA's prediction has much of the country having an equal chance of a warmer or colder winter, with the southern half of the country looking warmer.
