(The Center Square) – Illinoisans may want to bundle up this winter if the 2024 Farmers’ Almanac winter prediction holds true.
The publication has been predicting the weather since 1818, using information from the moon, tidal action and sunspot activity, among several other factors.
Winter officially starts on Dec. 21, but according to the Farmers’ Almanac, winter weather will begin before then.
Managing Editor Sandi Duncan said for Illinois this winter, look for the “burrrr to be back.”
“We are seeing that there is going to be more of a chance of some cold conditions with a lot of storms predicted,” Duncan told The Center Square. “We aren’t calling for too many blizzards or anything to that effect but we are seeing that it is going to be cold and stormy.”
The publication attributes the coming cold and snow to El Nino, a phenomenon that causes the Pacific jet stream to move south of its neutral location and is typically associated with warmer temperatures. This winter will be the first time in four years that El Niño will be making its return.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently released its winter forecast for the country and also cited the El Nino effect. But the agency predicted a dryer and warmer winter for Illinois in the coming months.
As for the accuracy of the Farmers’ Almanac weather predictions, the publication says they are about 80% to 85% correct.
“It will be very interesting to see what happens, but we do our best to try to give people a forecast they can rely on and plan accordingly,” Duncan said.
