PENNSYLVANIA — The 2025–2026 Farmers’ Almanac has issued its extended winter forecast, dubbing the season ahead a “Chill, Snow, Repeat” affair.
The publication, which is well-known for its long-range weather predictions based on astronomical and meteorological cycles, anticipates a season marked by cyclical cold snaps and widespread wintry weather across much of the United States, including Pennsylvania.
Although the official start of winter is not until December 21, the Almanac warns that Pennsylvania and other parts of the Northeast could see cold weather and snowfall as early as September. This early arrival suggests that residents may need to prepare for winter conditions weeks ahead of schedule.
For much of the Mid-Atlantic, including Pennsylvania, the outlook points to what the Almanac describes as a classic winter pattern.
That means repeated stretches of cold and snow, followed by short periods of warming, and then a quick return to bitter temperatures. Snowfall is expected across the state, with higher elevations such as the Poconos and Appalachian regions likely to see the greatest accumulations.
The forecast also highlights two particularly sharp cold snaps—one in mid-January and another in mid-February. These periods are expected to bring the harshest winter weather, reinforcing the Almanac’s theme of “chill, snow, repeat.”
The Farmers’ Almanac bases its predictions on a proprietary formula that includes factors such as sunspot activity, planetary alignment, and tidal action. While the publication claims a high level of accuracy, scientific evaluations generally find its success rate closer to 50 percent—about the same as chance.
Still, for Pennsylvania, the Almanac suggests that the 2025–2026 winter will resemble an old-fashioned season, with early snow, mid-season cold waves, and a steady rhythm of fluctuating temperatures.
