Farmers' Almanac predicts 'old-fashioned' winter. What to expect in Tennessee for 2025-2026
While the official starts of winter isn't until late December, the Almanac predicts the cold and snow might move in as early as September in some parts of the country.
"Most of the country is on tap for a cold or very cold winter, kind of almost going back to an old-fashioned winter," Farmers' Almanac Editor Sandi Duncan told USA TODAY. "It's going to cool down, it's going to snow, then it might warm up a little, then it's going to repeat itself again."
The last winter season brought bitterly cold arctic temperatures and several inches of snow to the Nashville area. Here's what to expect this season.
What will 2025-2026 winter weather be like in Tennessee?
According to the Almanac, Southeast states including Tennessee, can expect average winter temperatures and "many" wet periods.
The second week of January will bring "some very cold temperatures with some possible wintry precipitation, in the more northern areas, such as the mountains of West Virginia and Virginia," Duncan said.
February will also be "a very wet period, especially from the 16th to the 20th, then turning mild at the end of February, but unsettled in many places," she added. "So just very wet, I would say, is the focus."
Average winter conditions in the Nashville area
During the winter months, Nashville typically sees a gradual shift in temperatures and precipitation, per National Weather Service data.
In December, average highs reach around 52.2 F, with lows near 33.3 F and an overall average of 42.7 F, accompanied by about 4.43 inches of precipitation.
January tends to be colder, with highs averaging 49.1 F, lows dipping to 30.1 F and an average temperature of 39.6 F, along with 4.02 inches of precipitation.
By February, temperatures begin to rise again, with highs around 53.8 F, lows near 33 F and an average of 43.4 F, while precipitation slightly increases to 4.47 inches.
When is the first day of winter?
According to the Almanac, winter begins with the winter solstice — the astronomical event when the sun reaches the Tropic of Capricorn, bringing the shortest day and longest night of the year to the Northern Hemisphere, in terms of daylight.
In 2025, the winter soltice falls on Sunday, Dec. 21.
Did the Farmers' Almanac get its winter weather prediction right last year?
While some may question the accuracy of the Farmers' Almanac — and its competing guide, The Old Farmer's Almanac— the guide remains a popular read.
In its 2024–2025 Winter Forecast Accuracy report, the Farmers' Almanac noted that its call for a mild winter in Texas and the Southern Plains 'hit the mark,' and it 'correctly called the cold weather over the Northern Plains and Great Lakes.'
The Almanac also accurately predicted a deep cold spell at the end of January. However, it acknowledged that La Niña threw a curveball, resulting in fewer wet weather events than expected.
'Weather forecasting has come a long way since 1818, when the first Farmers' Almanac helped readers plan ahead—without smartphones or TV meteorologists,' the publication wrote. 'While our formula accounts for various proprietary factors, we're humble enough to know that nature always gets the last word.'
Farmers' Almanac vs Old Farmer's Almanac: What's the difference?
The Old Farmer's Almanac and the Farmers' Almanac share a long-standing tradition of forecasting weather across North America, using solar patterns, historical data, long-range models, and proprietary formulas to help readers anticipate seasonal changes.
Despite their similarities, the two publications differ in origin, scope and distribution.
The Old Farmer's Almanac, first published in 1792 by Robert B. Thomas, provides forecasts for 18 regions in the U.S. and Canada and is printed by Yankee Publishing Inc., an employee-owned company based in Dublin, New Hampshire.
Meanwhile, the Farmers' Almanac was first released in 1818 by David Young and covers seven U.S. and five Canadian climatological regions. It's published by Geiger, a Lewiston, Maine-based company known as the largest privately owned promotional products firm in the country.
Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for the Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@gannett.com or follow her on X at @_leyvadiana
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: What Farmers' Almanac 2025-2026 winter forecast predicts for Tennessee
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