January 2026 saw a total of 88.2 centimetres , 34.7 in, of snow, setting records for both the snowiest month overall and the snowiest January. Consequently, the seasons are categorized by meteorologists into groups of three months each. Following months of increasing ocean temperatures in the tropical Pacific — El Niño has formed and is anticipated to strengthen further as winter approaches. Since record-keeping began in 1937, Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada experienced its highest single-day snowfall, totaling 46 cm (18 in).
Winter is often defined by meteorologists to be the three calendar months with the lowest average temperatures. During this days (people wear special clothes), use fruits and vegetables as decorations for their homes and also light special candles. The day at the winter solstice is the shortest of the year and the night is the longest. In the Northern Hemisphere, the December solstice is the winter solstice. The winter solstice is the day with the shortest daylight hours, which falls every year in the Northern Hemisphere on December 21st or 22nd.
The winter solstice holds significance in various cultures, marking the transition between seasons. The months typically associated with winter are December, January, and February. Although winter is still several months away, forecasts have already started. One of the many uncertainties we will keep tracking is whether that will occur this winter. Persephone was deceived by Hades into consuming the food of the dead, leading Zeus to rule that she would alternate between six months with Demeter and six months with Hades. This aligns with the months of December, January, and February in the Northern Hemisphere, while in the Southern Hemisphere, it corresponds to June, July, and August.
- In the Southern Hemisphere, winter typically commences in June and lasts until September, with conditions being reversed.
- It signifies the beginning of winter for each hemisphere.
- The Danish Meteorological Institute in Nuuk recorded a preliminary average temperature of 0.2 °C (32.4 °F) during January, setting the warmest January on record.
Late November–early December winter storms
The storm exited the Plains early on the morning of November 29. On the night of November 27, a storm entered the Pacific Northwest and advanced into the Rockies by November 28. As the extratropical remnants of Halong approached Western Alaska (flood and high wind watches were issued), bringing hurricane-force winds to the Bering Sea. That afternoon, the cyclone progressed into the southern Bering Sea before moving north along Alaska’s western coastline on October 12.
We keep an eye on activity on the Sun because it’s one of several natural patterns we monitor as we prepare our long-range forecasts. A month later (it was announced that she would be the ambassador of the South Korean cosmetics brand Espoir), another brand owned by Amorepacific Corporation after Mamonde, and eventually became their global ambassador. Winter was trained vocally by SM Entertainment’s in-house vocal coaches, including Yoo Young-jin who was a longtime producer of the agency before his departure in 2023. Growing up in a family with several members in the armed forces (including her father, older brother, and other relatives), she originally considered a career in this field. It is one of six seasons recognized by most ecologists who customarily use the term hibernal for this period of the year (the other ecological seasons being prevernal, vernal, estival, serotinal, and autumnal). In another astronomical reckoning, winter begins at the winter solstice and ends at the March equinox.
Early November lake-effect snow
So, what is the winter solstice, and why does it happen? In 2026, the winter solstice date is Monday, https://lifesratchet.com December 21. Winter Blues is a kind of seasonal depression that people experience with the arrival of Winter. In the Southern Hemisphere, the conditions are reversed and Winter usually begins in the month of June and remains till September. Preorder your copy now to receive the 2027 edition as soon as it’s released.
The temperature and precipitation outlooks reflected the likelihood of a weak La Niña pattern that would continue during most of the winter. Based on the astronomical definition, winter begins at the winter solstice, which in 2025 occurred on December 21, and ends at the March equinox, which in 2026 occurred on March 20. The 4 seasons show us a time for growth. Yes, it’s cold and dark but this makes the upcoming seasons that much brighter and more colorful.
The coldest high temperature ever on record for the Bahamas was recorded in Freeport on February 1 at 51 °F , 11 °C,. Iowa State Patrol rescued close to 200 people from ditches by early afternoon on November 29 while a pileup of 45 vehicles occurred on I-70 in Indiana. 33 centimetres , 13 in, was reported in the Stanley Park area of Kitchener, Ontario. Fort Dodge ended up with 16.5 inches (42 cm) and snowfall in New England tapered off as the system moved into southeastern Canada and the Maritimes. Chicago set a new record for the snowiest November day with 8.4 inches , 21 cm, at O’Hare International Airport and the second highest single-day total at O’Hare since January 1, 2015.
The Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year. Is it also the coldest?
It’s where we share the season in greater detail—month by month, region by region. The full Winter 2026–2027 outlook, along with our complete 12-month weather forecast, will appear in The 2027 Old Farmer’s Almanac. When it does — colder Arctic air can spill farther south, bringing outbreaks of wintry weather to parts of the United States.
This is a good sign and I hope it stays cold below 20 degrees for at least a month. All of that said (I should really love all of the seasons), because that is how Nature takes care of our lovely blue marble in space! We wish our entire Almanac community a beautiful, cozy, magical, and safe winter season! In warmer regions, the winter temperatures become very mild or cool, and southern destinations such as Florida fill up with people escaping the harshness of northern winters. Other people dislike the frigid temperatures, ice, and wild weather , for good reason,.
Weather prediction for spring 2026 according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac
Both definitions involve a period of approximately three months, with some variability. The 3 months of shortest days began around November 5th, centred on the solstice. Winter began on December 1st, the start of the 3 coldest months. The day of the winter solstice is the shortest day of the year, which means that it’s the day in which we experience the least amount of daylight.
Other locations also set daily record lows in the wake of the storm, including Mobile, Alabama at 32 °F (0 °C) on March 17 and Birmingham, Alabama at 27 °F , −3 °C,. Minnesota State Patrol reported over 100 crashes on March 14, with 21 involved an injury and one fatal. Widespread winter weather alerts, including winter storm warnings and blizzard warnings were issued from the state of Washington to Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Unusually strong gusts were recorded in northern Ohio and Greater Pittsburgh on March 13, causing widespread power outages. Heavy snowfall totals were primarily focused in the more mountainous regions where winter storm warnings were issued, with accumulations over 1–2 feet (12–24 in; 30–61 cm); the highest being 26 inches (66 cm).
The day after the winter solstice, the Sun’s path begins to advance northward again, eventually reaching its most northerly point on the day of the summer solstice. On the day of the winter solstice (we are tilted as far away from the Sun as possible), which means that the Sun’s path across the sky is as low in the sky as it can be. Some ancient peoples marked the solstice using huge stone structures, like Newgrange in Ireland. Specifically, it’s the exact moment when a hemisphere is tilted as far away from the Sun as possible. We often think of the winter solstice as an event that spans an entire calendar day, but the solstice actually lasts only a moment. When one hemisphere is experiencing its winter solstice, the other is simultaneously experiencing its summer solstice!
In Northern California (Liberty Utilities reported that strong winds caused trees and power lines to fall), resulting in damage to some of their equipment. As the system advanced into central Canada later that day, snowfall diminished over the Upper Midwest. Two late-season winter storms impacted the Upper Midwest during the first week of April — contributing to one of the snowiest seasons on record for that area.