If the Farmer’s Almanac is correct, it might be time to dig out the mittens and boots in preparation for a chilly season.

The almanac says the Midwest will have a “bitterly cold winter” this year.

Harry Hillaker, state climatologist, said the months of December, January and February have a 70 percent chance of being colder than usual and a 60 percent chance for more snowfall this year.

But Hillaker said the country is not under any affects from last year’s El Ni¤o.

“We are in an exact opposite weather pattern from El Ni¤o. This year we are in a La Ni¤a weather pattern,” Hillaker said. “Generally with La Ni¤a, the fall will be warmer and drier than usual.”

Hillaker said weather typical of La Ni¤a occurs about half the time after an El Ni¤o year. The other half of the time the weather will return to a typical pattern for the country.

“Of course, we’re never sure how extreme the winter will be,” Hillaker said. “Odds are still high for a more bitter winter this year.”

Brad Edwards, meteorologist for WOI TV, said that although he is not a climatologist, he is predicting a close-to-average winter.

Edwards said he usually predicts the weather forecast only five to seven days ahead of time, but that he has studied previous La Ni¤a weather patterns, and they usually are close to a typical winter for Iowa.

He said an average Iowa winter includes approximately 30-35 inches of snow.

Edwards did say that this year will be colder than last year.

“Because of El Ni¤o last year, we had a fairly mild winter,” he said. “If people are going to compare this winter to last winter, it is going to be colder, but not unusually cold.”

Edwards said that although Iowa received a large amount of snow last winter, the temperatures were, on the average, fairly mild for Iowa in the winter.

“I’m basing my predictions on the patterns of previous La Ni¤a winters,” he said. “None of them have been exceptionally snowy or cold for Iowa.”