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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

‘Shaking, shivering, and shoveling:’ Farmers’ Almanac predicts chilly Midwest winter

In this photo from Feb. 17, 2021, Carlos de Jesus takes a selfie in front of the frozen fountain at the Richardson Civic Center after a second winter storm brought more snow and continued freezing temperatures to North Texas in Richardson, Texas. After watching the fountain freeze over the past few days, de Jesus, who lives nearby, said he decided to take a photo Wednesday on his way home from work.    (Smiley N. Pool/The Dallas Morning News/TNS)
Kaitlyn Alanis, The Kansas City Star

As much of the U.S. experiences what might be “its hottest summer ever,” the Farmers’ Almanac is predicting another extreme season — winter.

While “frigid temperatures should flow into many areas nationwide,” the long-running publication predicts it will be coldest in Midwestern states, including Kansas and Missouri, and the North Central region.

“This winter will be filled (with) plenty of shaking, shivering, and shoveling,” Farmers’ Almanac said in its extended 2022-2023 winter weather forecast released this month.

The publication expects people in the Great Lakes areas, Northeast and North Central states will experience a winter that might send them into “hibernation.” Specifically, Almanac staff believes some Midwest states will experience “extremely cold temperatures” — potentially as cold as minus-40 degrees — in mid-January.

But the Midwest isn’t the only region that should be prepared to bundle up.

Many Eastern states will have unreasonably cold and snowy weather, the publication predicts. The Pacific Northwest is expected to see normal precipitation, but the Southwest region may see a drier-than-normal winter.

The Almanac says it has been using the same weather-predicting formula — “based on math” — for over 200 years. Readers say it is accurate about 85% of the time, according to the publication.

It predicted bad winter weather in the 2021-2022 winter outlook, too, McClatchy News reported.

The National Weather Service believes much of the Midwestern region has “equal chances” of having below-normal or above-normal winter temperatures and precipitation.