Following a nearly snow-free winter last year, the 50 million Americans who live in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic should see a snowier-than-average winter, according to a forecast released Wednesday by AccuWeather.



“The Northeast and Mid-Atlantic will have more snow than they did last year,” AccuWeather forecaster Paul Pastelok says.



Cities such as New York, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C.; Baltimore and Charlotte are among those that should receive more snow than usual, he adds.



Meanwhile, in the drought-scorched central and northern Plains and upper Midwest, the news isn’t good: Below-average snowfall and above-average temperatures are forecast. According to the latest U.S. Drought Monitor, 98 percent of Wyoming, Colorado, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas are enduring drought conditions.



The dryness will extend into the Northwest, adding to drought worries there: “I have big concerns about the Northwest,” Pastelok emphasizes. “We have already set up the stage here at the start of fall with wildfires and drought conditions.



“With the exception of a break with some rain and snow during October and early November, it will be drier than normal through the winter season and maybe even longer as we head toward spring.”



A weak El Niño climate pattern is expected to be one of the major drivers of the weather this winter, AccuWeather meteorologist Mark Paquette says.



One of the hallmarks of an El Niño winter is a stormy weather pattern for the southern tier of the U.S., expected this year. Across the South, the rain will be mostly welcome, but “severe weather is going to be a problem again this winter season,” Pastelok adds.



Potent storms formed by the clashing of cooler air to the north and milder air farther south will act as the trigger for the severe weather, which could produce tornadoes, high winds and flash flooding.



A snowy winter in the Northeast would be a dramatic switch from last year: During the winter of 2011-12, New York City received only 7.4 inches of snow, far below its typical total of just over 2 feet. Washington shoveled a paltry 2 inches, well below the city's average of 14.5 inches, according to the National Weather Service.



In early winter, unusually warm Atlantic Ocean water should moderate cold air blowing in from the west, which also would reduce snowfall, Paquette says. The best chance for big snowstorms will be in January and February, he says.