What the New York area should expect this winter

Jeff Smith Image
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Jeff Smith's winter outlook
Jeff Smith has the winter outlook.

NEW YORK (WABC) -- Winter is around the corner so what can you expect in your neck of the woods?

In the northeast, expect more frequent storms this upcoming winter. There's also a good chance for above-average snowfall.

Temperatures should average about 3-5 degrees colder than last winter.

***Click on video above to see Meteorologist Jeff Smith's Winter outlook***

Expect early lake effect snow events in the Great Lakes Region, while bitter cold will take hold in the High Plains as snowpack develops early.

In the Southeast, expect a mild start to the winter, but there could be some cold intrusions after the new year with a threat of damaging freezes for the citrus crop in Florida.

From the Central Gulf states to the Southwest expect a fairly quiet season, but a couple of ice storms are not out of the realm of possibility for Texas.

Finally, the Pacific Northwest will get off to an active start, with moisture-laden storms dropping lots of rain and mountain snow.