Leave those parkas in their mothballs, we're in for a mild one! Or are we?

If you hate the cold as much as I do, you'll be thrilled to hear what some experts are predicting for the upcoming winter in the Hudson Valley.

Surprisingly, as a lifelong New Yorker, I've never been a big fan of winter. In fact, after summer ends, it's all downhill from the start of fall into the winter months in my opinion. I'm actually surprised I never left the state of New York for the mere fact that I hate winter. Cold weather sucks and snow just makes for hazardous driving. Call me a Debbie Downer, but winter just grinds my gears.

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According to the Times Union, we can expect a warmer winter in the Hudson Valley area and upstate New York in general. La Nina will impact weather across the United States for a third straight year says NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). Forecasters said Thursday that winter precipitation for the area is unpredictable with the Northeast falling into the category of equal chances of below, near or above average seasonal totals.

How Much Snow We'll Get Remains A Mystery

John Gottschalck, chief of the Operational Prediction Branch of NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, says "typically, snowfall is below normal. It's too early to predict the severity of potential winter storms. The outlook does not project seasonal snowfall accumulations because those forecasts are generally not predictable more than a week ahead of time."

Conflicting Reports

As much as I love the thought of a mild winter, other "experts" are saying a Harsher Winter is Expected, With More Disruptive Storms. This includes Hudson Valley meteorologist Ben Noll, along with the Farmer's Almanac expects a winter that is "slushy, icy, snowy" with "significant shivers".  So what gives? Who are we to believe? I guess only time will tell. But here's to the hopes for a mild and warm winter!

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