Mild winter forecast for New Jersey

New Jersey residents may be in for a relatively mild winter if some current trends continue. Winter officially begins early Thursday morning.

State climatologist Dave Robinson said he is not expecting a repeat of last winter when New Jersey had twice the average amount of snow.

“When a La Niña event is occurring in the tropical Pacific, which it is right now, we tend to have below average snowfall in New Jersey,” Robinson said. “Seven of the last eight La Niña winters in New Jersey, which date back 40 years or more, have below average snowfall.”

This is the 11th straight month of above average temperatures in the Garden State, Robinson said. He anticipates that pattern will continue, but cautions that there could be some very cold spells in January and February.