As we embark on the final quarter of 2020, this year hasn't exactly been normal. Exhibit A … a global pandemic. Exhibit B … a global hit to the economy because of the aforementioned pandemic. Exhibit C … murder hornets. And so on.

It seems each day something happens that leaves us shaking our heads. The most recent example was a 5.1 earthquake on Sunday that left residents confused in North Carolina.

Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde did tell us that, “To expect the unexpected shows a thoroughly modern intellect.”

He's probably looking down and saying, “I told you so.”

While Wilde has a point, there may be a small sense of normalcy for the Sullivan Catskills this winter.

Despite a milder winter the past two years, the Old Farmer's Almanac is predicting that in 2020-21, that trend will come to an end.

In a long range weather forecast for our region, they say: “Winter will be colder than normal in the north and warmer in the south, with above-normal precipitation and snowfall. The coldest periods will be in mid-December and mid-January, with the snowiest periods in mid-December, early January, and early to mid-March.”

This is good news for snow lovers and perhaps the last straw for those who despise the fluffy stuff, but maybe we can take solace in the fact that a snowy winter in the Catskills would be the most normal thing yet in 2020.

An extended outlook at the weather calls for a warmer and slightly rainier April and May, as well as an early hot spell in the middle of April. The Old Farmer's Almanac adds, “Summer temperatures will be slightly cooler than normal, on average, with above-normal rainfall. The hottest periods will be in late June, early to mid-July, and early August. Watch for a hurricane in early to mid-August. September and October will be cooler and rainier than normal.”

Of course we'll have more in the Democrat about the Old Farmer's Almanac once they hit the shelves, as well as their competitor -- the Farmer's Almanac -- but for now, all we can do is finish 2020 with an open mind.