Local Meteorologists Give Their Predictions For This Winter Season In The Northland

Meteorologists from the WDIO Storm Track Weather Team have prepared their predictions for what the winter season could look like this year. With the 30th Anniversary of the Halloween Storm coming up, I am pretty sure we all have our fingers crossed that we never see another storm like that again.

So what are some factors that effect the upcoming winter weather? According to Chief Meteorologist Justin Lyles Lake Superior is warmer than usual and we are also coming off one of the warmest summers on record in Duluth followed by a warmer than normal fall through mid-October. Justin believes this pattern is very similar to the 2012-2013 winter season when Duluth received nearly 130" of snow.

With the waters being warmer than normal that obviously means less ice coverage and on Lake Superior having more open water could mean a snowy winter for the South Shore. While as a general rule the South Shore tends to get the heaviest lake effect snow, if winds end up in an easterly pattern the North Shore could see an increase in snow as well.

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With this also being a La Nina winter that could play a factor too in how much snow we could get. So what is the final prediction? Chief Meteorologist  Justin Liles expects this winter to be similar to the 2012 season with November to January receiving around 33 inches of snow with the first substantial snowfall around Thanksgiving.

More snow should be arriving around January 8 with the coldest stretch around January 20-25 with daytime highs around single to double digits below zero. February is when winter will really kick in. Justin predicts:

Nearly 20" of snow will fall in February. Another 25" will fall in March which would place it in the top 10 on record. April will likely be the snowiest month of the season with over 35" of snow. Justin says most of the Northland will end up with over 100" of snowfall for the 2021-2022 season.

I guess Prince was right that sometimes it snows in April and so much for my theory of March 1 is officially spring. So looks like this winter will come in like a lamb and go out like a lion.