Old Farmer’s Almanac predicts New England’s 2026 spring weather

The Old Farmer’s Almanac published its spring forecast last week, predicting warmer and drier conditions across much of the Northeast.

Not to be confused with its former rival, the Farmers’ Almanac, the Old Farmer’s Almanac bills itself as the nation’s oldest continuously published almanac. Based in Dublin, New Hampshire, the publication has been offering long-range weather forecasts for farmers, gardeners, and outdoor enthusiasts since 1792, according to its website. Its longtime competitor ceased publication last year. 

This spring, the Old Farmer’s Almanac says New Englanders can expect temperatures above seasonal norms. In its “Northeast” region — which includes New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, and western Massachusetts — the forecast calls for average temperatures in May to run about 3 degrees Fahrenheit above normal.

The warmer trend is expected to extend across much of the country, with only a few regions projected to see near-average or cooler temperatures, the Old Farmer’s Almanac reported. 

Precipitation, meanwhile, is forecast to fall below average from April through May, and the almanac does not anticipate any significant snowfall during the period. 

Much of the United States is also expected to experience drier-than-normal conditions, including the typically humid Northeast. Boston, for example, saw near-record humidity last summer. 

The Old Farmer’s Almanac says it bases its long-range forecasts on a proprietary “secret weather formula” developed by its founder, Robert B. Thomas, and refined over the years. The method draws on solar science, climatology, and meteorology, factoring in sunspot activity, historical weather patterns, and current atmospheric conditions.

Still, the publication acknowledges that its predictions are far from perfect — though, it claims, they’re close.

“Like all forecasters, we have not yet gained sufficient insight into the mysteries of the universe to predict the weather with total accuracy,” the almanac noted, “though our results are often very close to our traditional claim of 80 percent.”