While there has already been some snowfall near the Rocky Mountains in the U.S. this season, most of the nation hasn’t seen flurries yet. When is snow coming to your area? Let’s check it out.
El Nino, a regularly occurring weather pattern, will be a major influence over the coming months, according to a U.S. Winter Outlook released Thursday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Ken Graham, director of NOAA’s National Weather Service explained that El Nino brings higher chances of rain and snow.
“As we know from decades of observations, a very strong El Nino will likely bring a southward and eastward shift to the jet stream for the contiguous U.S., which tilts the odds toward stormier weather across the South,” said Graham.
As the snowfall near the Rockies has already demonstrated, the Farmer’s Almanac predicted that the northern part of the Rockies would get the first snowflakes. It also predicted that the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest could see snow as early as this month, along with parts of New England and parts of the Pacific Northwest near the Rocky Mountains.
Next up, the Great Lakes region – including Chicago, Ill., and Detroit, Mich. – is expected to get snow in November. The area that could see snowfall next extends from Nebraska through the East Coast. It also includes higher elevations in the Appalachian Mountains, the central Rockies and the northern Oregon coastline.
In late November through December, parts of the Central Plains, the Ohio Valley, the Mid-Atlantic interior and the lower-elevation Northwest are expected to get a first snow. Then, snow might come for the Southwest, deep South, Gulf Coast and Southeast in December or January – but snowfall is rare for some of that region.
According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, we can expect wetter than normal weather across much of the West and in parts of the South, Midwest, and Florida (though it might be drier than normal in parts of the East, Plains, and Southwest). It also said this winter will be snowier in parts of the Northeast and Appalachians, parts of the West, and Alaska.
“A snowier-than-normal winter is expected from central New England through the Appalachians, in the Intermountain region and Pacific Northwest, and in Alaska,” the Old Farmer’s Almanac added.
AccuWeather said that with El Nino in play, we should shouldn’t base this year’s expectations on last year’s snow.
“The 2026-27 winter snow forecast is almost the opposite of what unfolded last winter across the country, with some of the heaviest snow expected in areas that largely missed out on snowstorms last year,” said the outlet.
An exclusive forecast from AccuWeather predicts 15 t0 30 inches in Boston, Mass., for the 2026-2027 season; 10 to 20 inches in New York, N.Y.; 5 to 15 inches in Philadelphia, Pa.; 20 to 35 in Pittsburgh, Pa.; 55 to 70 in Buffalo, N.Y.; 12 to 25 inches in Chicago, Ill.; 40 to 55 inches in Minneapolis, Minn.; 25-35 in Bismarck, N.D.; 12 to 24 inches in Kansas City, Mo.; 45 to 55 inches in Denver, Colo.; 50 to 65 inches in Salt Lake City, Utah and 25 to 38 inches in Spokane, Wash.
Things might be getting snowy, but there is a silver (or should we say fleece?) lining for some areas.
“The biggest decrease in weather-driven heating demand is expected in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, where temperatures between December and February are forecast to run more than 3 [degrees] above historical averages,” said AccuWeather.
