Florida to see milder winter in Farmer's Almanac update

The Farmer's Almanac updated its 2026-2027 winter outlook, but there aren't a lot of changes expected in Florida. The ever-strengthening El Niño continues to bring new changes to winter forecast predictions, with the majority of the northern portion of the country slated for a mild winter, with a few places seeing colder temperatures and snowier weather than usual. Florida is expected to have a milder winter, especially toward the end of winter, which means above-normal temperatures. Here's what has changed in the Farmer's Almanac winter outlook for Florida. The Old Farmer's Almanac offered a broad, high-level forecast of what the southern United States might see rather than detailed specifics for regions. The developing El Niño loomed large in the report. In its previous forecast, the Farmer's Almanac alluded to an active storm track that could extend from "Southern California and the Desert Southwest through Texas, the Gulf Coast, and the Southeast," which would bring more frequent storm systems toward Florida. That still seems to be the case, but not for the entire state. The almanac has also predicted that temperatures throughout the state will be warmer than usual this winter, with the coldest temperatures hitting in December and early January. There aren't any signals that the Pensacola area or the Florida Panhandle in general will get any snow this year, but that is to be expected. In 2025's historic snowfall, an incredibly strong blast of arctic air penetrated deep into the area, which dropped temperatures in Pensacola 12 degrees below Alaska at the time. That happened just as a low-pressure system developed in the area, fueled by the abundance of warm water in the Gulf. The extra moisture and frigid temperatures met at just the right time to drop more than 10 inches of snow over the area. El Niño is forecast to bring in plenty of moisture with an increase in storm frequency, and those storms are likely to bring in colder weather with them. That excess moisture could meet freezing temperatures to produce winter precipitation, but that doesn't mean we'll see any snow on the ground. The Old Farmer's Almanac has predicted a milder winter across the country, with much of the United States seeing normal or slightly warmer temperatures. Central New England south through the Appalachians and into the Ohio Valley will be cooler than normal, however.