A ‘Snowier-Than-Normal Winter’ Is Headed Toward These Homeowners, Warns The Old Farmer’s Almanac  

As winter approaches, homeowners across the United States should prepare a bit differently for the season than in past years, depending on where they live. 

While predictions of a volatile winter have already been shared, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac Winter 2026–2027 forecast, the nation will experience a mix of mild spells, sudden freezes, and in some areas, heavy snow events. 

“Winter won’t look the same everywhere this year,” shared Carol Connare, editor-in-chief of The Old Farmer’s Almanac. 

“While much of the country is headed for a milder season, some areas will still see plenty of cold and snow.” 

Which homeowners will see the most snow

Homeowners in certain regions of the country should prepare for an extraordinarily active snow season.

The heaviest snowfall is forecasted by the Alamanac from central New England through the Appalachians, across the Intermountain region and Pacific Northwest, and into Alaska. 

However, as you can see by the map, in the southern portion of the Northeast, homeowners will also face above-normal snowfall concentrated in mid- and late December, mid-January, and early and late March. 

Northern Appalachian residents, particularly in higher elevations, can expect significant accumulation during peak snow periods in mid-January and throughout February. 

Some of this activity will be influenced by the Super El Niño giving way into a more active La Niña  season. 

For these homeowners, clearing heavy snow load from roofs, monitoring for destructive ice dams, and ensuring proper foundation drainage during sudden thaws will be critical.

When looking out West, homeowners in the Intermountain region and the Pacific Northwest also are looking at above-normal snowfall combined with wet winter precipitation. 

Intermountain homeowners will experience their snowiest stretches in late November, late December, and early February, while Pacific Northwest residents should brace for heavy snow events in late December, mid-January, and mid-February. Mountain properties in the Pacific Southwest can also expect robust snowfall after the start of the new year. 

Alaskan homeowners will see above-average snowfall throughout an extended season, with peak accumulation hitting in mid-November, early and late January, mid-February, and late March. 

Where will it be the coldest this winter

All that said, milder winter conditions are still expected across most of the country in the winter 2027-2027 season, though few will still experience severe, below-normal cold snaps, according to the Almanac. 

The most intense prolonged cold will stretch from central New England southward through the Appalachians and into the Ohio Valley. In the southern Northeast and the Appalachian region, the coldest spells will hit hardest during mid-January and extend through mid- to late February. Ohio Valley homeowners will feel the sharpest chill during back-to-back freezes in mid- and late January. 

For homeowners in these eastern cold zones, insulating unheated basements, wrapping exposed plumbing, and scheduling furnace inspections prior to January will be vital to prevent catastrophic pipe bursts and runaway heating costs.

Additionally, homeowners in Hawaii will surprisingly experience below-normal temperatures throughout the winter, with the coolest periods spanning early-to-mid November, early December, late January into early February, and early March, according to their predictions. 

Meanwhile, regions that expect overall milder or above-normal average temperatures—such as the Upper Midwest, Lower Lakes, Deep South, and Desert Southwest—are still not immune to sharp freeze events. Upper Midwest homeowners will face severe cold in mid-to-late January, while Lower Lakes residents will see extreme chills in early January and early February.