Massachusetts expects a warmer winter with more rain
Oct 28, 2026
The 2026-2027 winter outlook for Massachusetts predicts a 50% to 60% chance of above-average temperatures and a 40% to 50% chance of above-normal precipitation.
Speaking of temperatures, winter is getting closer,
and perhaps you are wondering what's
ahead for western Massachusetts.
22 News Storm Team meteorologist Alexa Bianco explains what
a winter outlook can tell us. Yes, thank you, Brian.
The winter outlook gives us some clues,
but how that translates depends on how many factors
for what we'll see in Massachusetts.
A winter outlook looks at temperature
and precipitation trends over the season as a whole.
It doesn't predict individual storms or exact snowfall totals.
The 2026 to 2027 winter outlook is predicting a 50
to 60 percent chance of above average temperatures
and a 40 to 50 percent chance
of above normal precipitation for Massachusetts.
What's playing a factor this year is the strong El Niño,
which is one of the strongest El Niños on record.
Those other three El Niño years,
which were as recent as 2015, 2016, 1997, 1998, and then also
82, 83, all three of those winters had below average snowfall
and warmer than normal temperatures.
Just because we are predicted to have a warmer winter
and below average snowfall,
it doesn't mean one big storm couldn't happen.
February of 1983, which was a big El Nino year,
but Springfield, Massachusetts had 21 inches
of snow in the February blizzard of 1983.
That's pretty much the main event that they had.
Even though it was below a below normal snowfall winter,
they still had one big storm.
There is a chance the Climate Prediction Center will come out
with an updated outlook in December,
but the predictions have stayed pretty consistent.
Working for you, Storm Team Meteorologist Alexa Bianco.