Weather across the U.S. this past year has been one for the record books, from an historic drought in California to extreme snow in New England. Now, as October nears its end, TIME looked at what the forecasts show for the coming winter.
The forecast brings both welcome and unwelcome news. New Englanders and Mid-Atlantic residents, for instance, should be happy that they’ll avoid some of the icy cold that froze the region last winter. Californians are likely to receive heavy rain but not enough to resolve the state’s drought.
Related: Celebrate Winter With 16 Vintage Snowman Photos
Across the country, El Niño is driving much of this year’s weather patterns. The climate phenomenon raises temperatures across the globe and changes the way air circulates. In the U.S., this typically means heavy rain in the south and lower temperatures across much of the country.
See below for more on what to expect:

- Governor Gretchen Whitmer on Her Fight for Abortion Access in Michigan
- Inside the War on Fake Consumer Reviews
- Column: Europe's Refugee Crisis Is Going to Get Worse
- How Lawmakers Are Trying to Protect Abortion Data Privacy
- The Surprising Thing That Could Help Ease Inflation
- Finding the American Dream in Canada
- The Safest Sunscreens to Buy—and Which Ingredients to Avoid
- Fact-Checking 8 Claims About Crypto’s Climate Impact
- How Grief Upsets Your Gut Health
- Who Could Replace Boris Johnson As U.K. Prime Minister?