TIME TO PREPARE: According to the Farmers’ Almanac 2022-23 winter forecast the time to start preparing for a possibly very cold, very wet winter is upon us.

Although the shortest day of the year and official first day of winter aren’t until December 21, the Farmers’ Almanac extended winter forecast states the first bite of winter can be expected earlier than last year’s. The probability of a white Christmas for our area is high.

“December 2022 looks stormy and cold nationwide with an active storm pattern developing and hanging around for most of the season over the eastern half of the country,” stated the Farmers’ Almanac winter forecast.

Their forecast also covered the possibility of winter storm warnings, and found that there “should be quite a few significant winter weather disturbances, nationwide in 2022-2023.” The forecast elaborated by providing a general timeline for just two of the disturbances predicted.

During the first week of January, the Farmers’ Almanac meteorologists predict “heavy snowfall, followed by a sweep of bitterly cold air.”

Then a bit later in the month, between Jan. 16 and 23, they raise another weather red flag concerning “bouts of heavy rain and snow across the eastern two-thirds of the country, followed by what might be one of the coldest outbreaks of arctic air we have seen in several years. How cold? Try 40 degrees below zero!”

According to their predictions, we are in for a heck of a long, cold and wet winter. Now would be the time to stock up on the firewood, flannel, candles, hot chocolate, show shoes and other winter necessities needed to survive a cold Bradford winter.

The Farmers’ Almanac warned its readers to get ready to “Shake, Shiver and Shovel,” this winter.