Fall is officially here -- which means winter is next. The Old Farmer’s Almanac has already predicted what the season will look like in Wilmington.
The arrival of fall means temperatures are expected to finally begin dropping after a hot summer in Wilmington. There will be plenty of time to enjoy the change in weather, with the start of the winter season still a few months out. But expectations for this winter are already being set.
The Old Farmer's Almanac has released its 2026-27 winter forecast, which details what kind of winter the Almanac is predicting -- and where conditions will be the harshest in terms of temperature and snowfall.
Overall, the Almanac is predicting a milder winter when it comes to the cold, but snowfall forecasts vary across
the country.
Here's what you can expect for the 2026-27 winter season in Wilmington, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac.
What will winter be like in Wilmington this year?
The past two years have been unusual for Wilmington in that the Cape Fear region was hit by a significant snowstorm in each of them.
While it's far too early to tell if the area will get another snow event, the Old Farmer's Almanac is predicting that it will be a wet winter in the area. However, with temperatures expected to be above normal, that could look like more rain than snow.
Both temperatures and precipitation are expected to be above normal. For snowfall specifically, the Almanac is forecasting normal levels across the Southeast region, which encompasses most of North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. If we are to get snow, the most likely time frame would be from early January to late February -- the same period that Wilmington was hit by its previous two snowstorms.
In 2025, a snowstorm hit the Cape Fear region on Jan. 22. The year after, snow arrived on Jan. 31.
How does the Almanac make its long-range forecasts?
The Almanac says it relies on solar science, climatology and meteorology to make its predictions. More specifically, the forecasters at the Almanac look at the Sun's activity, long-term weather patterns and atmospheric changes, then compare these factors with statistical averages from 1991 to 2020.
Charlie Kingree is Pender County and trending topics reporter for the StarNews. He can be reached at ckingree@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Old Farmer's Almanac predicts Wilmington's winter. See the forecast
