Do you like to get the lowdown on what the local winters are going to be like?

As soon as October arrives, I start scouring the internet for stories from “experts” predicting the upcoming winter weather. Yes, having lived in Maine my entire life, I know it’s going to snow, be cold and just be the season of personal frustration. Shoveling, maneuvering the roadways, and keeping an eye out for ice when out walking are something we all need to do during winter.

This week, AccuWeather meteorologists published their winter predictions for various parts of the country.

Will the Northeast get a Halloween snowstorm, like what occurred a few years ago? Will we have two weeks of near zero temperatures in January, like what we had to endure within the past five years? Or will we have a rather mild winter?

According to its website, “AccuWeather is predicting some similarities this year compared to last winter due to a weather phenomenon known as La Niña.” However, the article later mentions, “The upcoming La Niña will be weaker than the one experienced last winter. This ‘opens up the door’ for other elements to factor into the winter forecast, especially during the second half of the season.”

For the Northeast, AccuWeather says cold weather and some snow are predicted early (November), but mostly inland. December won’t be as bad, say the AccuWeather prognosticators, but look out for January! Sometimes we get a “January thaw,” but this winter, “that respite from the frigid weather could occur a few weeks later, making it more of a ‘February thaw.’”

And look for some nor’easters at “the tail end of the season,” which must mean March, according to AccuWeather.

In any case, winter is coming. Get a sturdy shovel, make sure your tires are ready for the snow, slush and ice, and make sure you have a good heating source.

Winter in Maine. Gotta deal with it no matter what comes and when.