❄ The Ohio Valley 2021/22 Winter Forecast is here! Anyone that has lived in the Ohio Valley knows that Winter is one of the toughest seasons to predict. This region lies within the crossroads of residual warm and moist air from the Gulf of Mexico, lobes of bitter, Arctic air from Canada, along with an active jet stream!

As a second year La Niña takes control, higher precipitation totals are the result. The million dollar question that surfaces during a La Niña Winter, is whether it will be warm with rain/storms, or cold with ice/snow?  The evolution of where certain large-scale features lie during the Winter months will determine actual results.

Our current forecast suggests that a slightly below normal temperature regime will exist for the northern two-thirds of the Ohio Valley, while the Southeast portion of the region will be near normal. This does not mean we will not experience periods of warm weather and rain. There will be a roller coaster of temperatures across the region as usual, especially in January. The good news for Snow enthusiasts is that a modest ridge is expected to persist over far western Canada and Alaska, which will allow adequate cold air to drain southward into the Upper Midwest, Great Lakes, and Ohio Valley at times this winter, leading to several potential snow threats.

From the middle of November through around the end of this year, a colder look appears to be developing, and could affect the eastern half of the country with drier conditions and below normal temperatures. This could provide an opportunity for a couple of light or even moderate Winter Storms in December near the Ohio Valley. This could lead to a fast start to the Winter for many areas.

Winter will disappear for a few weeks in January as unseasonably warm air promotes an increase in rainfall across Kentucky and Southern Ohio, and Wintry precipitation in the northern half of the region. Most will cash in their winter chips and go home, but we caution doing that this year, for we expect winter to come roaring back by early February bringing bitter cold and snow chances back to the Ohio Valley. All in all, this is why we feel temperatures will run near to slightly below normal for the majority of the region. With an active storm track and plentiful precipitation, it is shaping up to be an active Winter!

Stay tuned all winter long as we track potential storms across the Ohio Valley!

❄ This Winter Outlook is provided by the SWC Forecast Team.