Old man winter is not going to be forgiving this year depending on which of the predicting publications you follow -- the Farmers’ Almanac, The Old Farmers Almanac and NOAA, 0r AccuWeather.

The Farmers’ Almanac is calling for “teeth chattering” cold, with plenty of snow. The publication, not to be confused with the Old Farmers’ Almanac, offers a 16-month weather forecast for 7 zones of the U.S. and it predicts “colder-than-normal … from the Continental Divide east through the Appalachians.”

This almanac forecasts that the frigid cold will arrive in mid-February, especially in the Northeast/New England, Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, Midwest, and Southeast.

A coming Arctic cold front is being blamed for the “teeth chattering” cold and so-called “blustery and bitter winds” as well as widespread snow showers and squalls.

The Farmers’ Almanac bases its forecasts on a mathematical and astronomical formula developed in 1818. It adds that we should all expect lots of snow for the Great Lakes states, Midwest, and central and northern New England. The majority of the snow is forecasted for January and February.

The Old Farmers’ Almanac says El Niño will bring warmer temperatures across most of North America. Snowfall will be greater than normal in the northern region of the continental U.S. and below normal in the south. It calls for the snowiest periods to fall in late November, late December, early and late January, mid-to late February and early March, April and May. Temperatures will be below normal in the north and above normal in the south and is expected to be slightly drier than normal.

The upper Midwest can expect a slightly milder and drier winter than normal, with snowfall near to below normal. Early to mid-December, later December into January, and late January into February are expected to be the coldest periods.

Winter temperatures and precipitation will be above normal, on average in the Intermountain region with the coldest periods in late December, early January, and early February. Snowfall is expected to be above normal in the northern part of the region and below normal in the south. Expect the snowiest periods to be in late November, late December, early and late January, mid to late February, and early March. Temperatures will be below normal in April and May in the north and above normal in the south and will be slightly drier than normal in the entire region.

If you live in the Pacific northwest, then expect winter to be warmer and much rainier than normal, with below-normal snowfall. The coldest periods are expected to be in early and late December, early January, and mid and late February. The snowiest periods will be in early January and mid-February.

Temperatures in Alaska will be milder than normal. The coldest time will be in mid-January and early February. Precipitation will be above normal in the north, and below normal in the south, and snowfall will be near to below normal. The snowiest time will be in early to mid-November and mid- to late December.

Keep in mind that The Old Farmers’ Almanac has a successful forecasting rate of 80-percent since 1792 and is similar to the NOAA forecast.

Meanwhile, AccuWeather agrees that El Niño will influence weather patterns causing mild air to linger in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic before the cold sets in during January and February. Some Interstate-95 cities will experience significant temperature drop in contrast to last year.

It is believed that an active southern storm track will direct snow and ice into parts of the southern plains.

AccuWeather predicts cold air and storms for the Southeast, Tennessee Valley, and Gulf Coast. If you live in this region, then expect snow and ice in January and February as well as multiple storms. Frigid cold is expected to be frequent in mid- to late season with the central and western Gulf Coast having to deal with frost and freezes, a major change from what occurred in the region in 2017-18. Residents of Florida should be ware of severe weather and flooding.

Winter is expected to start mild for the western Ohio Valley, Midwest, and the central and northern plains, according to AccuWeather. Expect a major and dramatic change in temperatures in January and February in this region with snowfall possibly being below normal, with storms happening less frequently than usual. Residents of Chicago and Minneapolis can look forward to less snow.

Residents of the southern plains should be alert for snowstorms and ice. December will witness some storms, but the worst of it will become more frequent in January and February. Residents in the areas of Dallas, north of Houston and running to Little Rock will be susceptible. Farmers of this region are being warned of blasts of cold air.

Regardless of what publication you put your faith in or what region of the country you live in, past winters have taught us that power outages are often the result of many winter storms. You probably know your region better than those who don’t live in it. In those areas of the country that are most susceptible to a harsh winter, families know that having a  standby generator can be a lifesaver. Today’s generators include technologies like Wi-Fi, for easy and remote control whether you are at or near home or miles away enjoying snow skiing in the Poconos of Pennsylvania, the slopes of Colorado or northern California.

Having a generator will ensure that a power outage won’t cause food or medications that need to be refrigerated won’t spoil. A generator can also prevent frozen or damaged pipes that could result in major problems that you may not be able to fix until spring.

Visit the website of AP Electric of Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin for a review of some of the best-known brands of generators including  Cummins, Westinghouse, Kohler, Briggs & Stratton, Generac, and Guardian. The website also includes a generator sizing calculator and offers information on how to select the proper generator for your situation.