Here's the Forecast This Year's Minnesota Winter Will Bring

Last winter was brutal in Minnesota. So brutal that it hurts my frost-bitten toes just thinking about it. So what will this year bring? 

Here's what the Old Farmer's Almanac's long range prediction for the upper midwest is this winter:

"Winter will be slightly milder and drier than normal, with snowfall near to below normal. The coldest periods will be in early to mid-December, from late December into January, and from late January into February."

The prediction continues to say the snowiest periods will be mid-November through December, and then again in early and mid-March. 

It's important to note that this forecast is regional, and not city-specific. 

Sounds like a typical winter to me, but I especially love the terms "milder" and "drier." Let's hope, at the very least, that this winter is more tolerable than the last. 

Photo: Getty Images/Weihua Li