Slightly higher levels of precipitation predicted for winter

The National Weather Service’s seasonal outlook for winter in Northeast Ohio predicts a fairly average winter, but residents might see more precipitation than usual.

Meteorologist Alexa Maines from the NWS Cleveland office said they predict temperatures could swing in either direction from December to the end of February, but it should not be anything too extreme.

She said that based on climate data coming from the offices at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, the average maximum temperature December through February is 36 degrees,

and the average minimum is 23.9 degrees.

Maines said they also predict a 40 percent chance of higher precipitation levels than usual, but whether its rain or snowfall will depend on how the temperatures play out.

She said it is too early to tell for certain, but based on prior year averages it is possible that the temperatures will be on the milder side.

Maines explained that the 2018-19 winter temperatures were slightly above average by one to three degrees. She said the winter

of 2019-20 followed this trend to the warmer side and averaged five to six degrees above normal.

She said snowfall was well below average last winter — only 26 inches, when the average snowfall is around double that.

Time will tell how much snowfall the Greater Cleveland area receives this winter. The NWS receives its climate prediction data from the official winter outlook issued by The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which does not usually make predictions for future snowfall amounts.

According to the NOAA, “Snow forecasts are generally not predictable more than a week in advance.”