By Staff Writer: Jada Boprie

Natives of Michigan are used to ever-changing weather. This September, when temperatures were high in the 70s for weeks straight and suddenly dropped, it wasn’t breaking news. However, the weather forecast for the fall and winter may be worth talking about.

From Jan. to Aug. this year, Michigan has had record-breaking amounts of precipitation. Howell High School knows this from experience as our Homecoming football game was played during a downpour.

According to the Farmers’ Almanac website, the high supply of rain won’t be letting up as the year closes. The forecast for the upcoming winter is cold and wet for most of the United States.  In Michigan, we are expected to experience below-average temperatures and higher than normal amounts of rain and snow. Although the abundance of water resulted in crop success for many farmers this fall, the approaching winter is expected to be volatile. Farmers’ Almanac expects strong winds and heavy storms to continue well into spring.

For those who are not yet prepared for the biting cold of winter, there is still time to delay the unpacking of mittens and scarves. The winter weather is not expected to arrive for weeks and there’s enough sunshine left in the year to make a family trip to the orchard. Both Spicer’s and Erwin’s orchards are expected to stay open until the beginning of Nov.

However, when the fickle weather arrives, the surplus of snow predicted this year will make winter enjoyable for those who love skiing, snowboarding, and other winter sports.  Popular ski resorts such as Mount Brighton and Mount Holly are preparing for the winter season, which will be starting in November.