An early winter-weather advisory

Thomas Hartley - Business First of Buffalo - Still waiting for the real feel of summer to arrive in Western New York and complaining?

Better enjoy the cool, damp weather for as long as it lasts. Next winter could be the coldest and snowiest in more than five years for the Northeast, AccuWeather.com’s Chief Meteorologist Joe Bastardi says.

The Great Lakes and Northeast have been experiencing the coolest summer in more than a decade and, after a period of more classic summer heat in coming weeks, cooler weather is expected to continue the trend of the “Year Without True Summer,” says Bastardi, who is based in State College, Pa.

His warning that Winter 2009-2010 could be snowier and colder than normal is based on the record of previous years that also had unusually cool summers.

“In years past, cooler summers have been followed by harsh winters,” Bastardi said.

“Temperatures in New York City did not top 85 degrees in June this year. There have only been three other times in recorded history when New York City failed to reach 85 in June. In each of those instances, snowy winters followed.

“Chicago had 12 days in June when temperatures did not exceed 70 degrees. This has happened only one other time — in 1969. That year was followed by a snowy winter as well,” he said.

The winter forecast applies to the Northeast and mid-Atlantic states, but the worst weather will be centered in the area from Boston to Washington, D.C., Bastardi said.