By Robert Mittendorf

The Bellingham Herald

This winter could be cold and wet with a chance of lowland snow, according to the Farmers’ Almanac forecast released Monday, Aug. 26.

“Overall the Farmers’ Almanac is summarizing your winter as ‘chilly with normal precipitation,’ ” said Sandi Duncan, managing editor of the publication that has provided long-range forecasts for North America dating to 1818.

But will it be a repeat of last winter’s February Freeze?

“This winter is going to remind people of a ‘polar’ coaster with frequent rides up and down the thermometer,” Duncan said in an email. “The really cold weather is predicted to stay east of the PNW, but that’s not to say you won’t get some chilly temperatures and snow.”

Duncan said the Almanac bases its long-range forecasts on a proprietary formula that uses mathematical and astronomical data — including sunspot activity, tidal action of the moon, the position of the planets and other factors.

Meteorologists at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center release their winter forecast in October, CPC spokeswoman Lauren Gaches said.

For now, NOAA’s outlook for December-January-February in Western Washington shows warmer than normal temperatures with normal precipitation.

“This far out, there’s still a lot of uncertainty,” Gaches told The Bellingham Herald.

Meanwhile, NOAA said on its website that the 2019 El Niño has shifted into a neutral pattern with normal conditions in the equatorial Pacific off South America.

La Niña can cause wetter cooler winters in the Northwest according to AccuWeather. El Niño winters usually are warmer and drier.