Overall, this winter is not expected to be as extreme as last winter for the big cities east of the Appalachians. With that said, snowfall is still forecast to average near or even slightly above normal south and east of the mountains from Virginia to Maine.

“A few significant ice or wet snow events can still occur south and east of the Appalachians,” explained Pastelok. Such events can also cause major power outages.

The interior Northeast is predicted to be colder and snowier than areas closer to the coast. An early, heavy lake-effect snow season will put areas from northwestern Pennsylvania into western New York, including Erie and Buffalo, into the zone of winter’s worst snow and cold, according to the team.

“Lake-effect snow can be significant this year,” Pastelok warned. He explained that with bitter arctic air set to blast across the relatively warm waters of the Great Lakes, conditions will be right for above-normal lake-effect snows from mid-November through early January.

Overall, precipitation is expected to be above normal throughout the majority of the Northeast from January into February. With the exception of northern parts of New York and New England, temperatures are forecast to average near normal for the winter season.

Full AccuWeather.com Winter 2011-2012 Forecast