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Will Pittsburgh see another warm winter?

PITTSBURGH — We've only had a couple of cold shots this fall, but people are already thinking about winter. After a warm winter last year, is it possible that 2017 could also be above average?

I looked at decades’ worth of numbers to find out.

This week has brought a roller coaster of weather for the Pittsburgh area, so you may be wondering whether this winter will bring much of the same.

Pittsburgh's chief meteorologist Stephen Cropper is forecasting a warmer and wetter winter, so we wondered if it will make it into the record books.

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Last year’s winter was the 10th-warmest on record. Even in 2015, several months were warmer than average.

But while 2016 was warm, it doesn't mean 2017 will follow suit. The above-average winter temperatures are not something we've seen consistently and there doesn't appear to be a pattern.

It's unusual to get several winters in a row to be so warm. Keep in mind, one day or even one storm is enough to keep us in or out of the record books.

Winter forecasting is one of the most difficult parts of meteorology due to the complexity and factors that go into the predictions. That is why Severe Weather Team 11 uses the best technology and our nearly 70 years’ combined experience in the market to bring you the most accurate forecast.

Winter is still more than a month away but we're already seeing a few shots of winter weather in the next few days.

Severe Weather Team 11
 
Stephen Cropper
 
Scott Harbaugh
 
Valerie Smock
 
Kevin Benson
 
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