The weather agency is predicting a wetter than normal winter in the Mid-Atlantic and drought conditions to persist in Texas and northern California.

The National Oceania and Atmospheric Administration has come out with its annual winter outlook for the 2019-2020 season. This report is designed to help communities prepare for the upcoming winter. This year’s forecast indicates warmer-than-normal temperatures for most of the nation and wetter-than-average weather for the North Central U.S. and Northeast. There is no La Nina or El Nino present this year, creating more opportunities for dramatic swings from warm to cold temperatures.

The NOAA Climate Prediction Center looks at weather conditions from December through February. For the Mid-Atlantic, the agency is predicting higher than normal precipitation levels combined with warmer than average temperatures. After an abnormally dry summer, the wet weather will help improve drought conditions in Maryland and Virginia, but probably won’t be welcomed by commuters. 

NOAA cautions the forecast of warmer temperatures doesn’t mean we won’t experience extreme cold. Residents of the DMV can prepare for the wet winter weather by picking up waterproof clothing and boots, making sure their windshield wipers are in good shape and checking basement sump pumps. 

According to NOAA, temperatures across most of the country are expected to be warmer than normal, which seems in conflict to earlier predictions of a "Polar Coaster Winter." The one thing that the Farmers Almanac, AccuWeather, and NOAA all seem to agree on is that we're in store for lots and lots of precipitation in the DMV, especially in the first quarter of 2020.

Which do you prefer—a wet or a cold winter? Tell us in the comments!