Winter forecast is here: How much snow will fall this winter in the DC area?

The D.C. area is in for an average to below-average winter of snowfall and just slightly milder temperatures than normal, according to the winter forecast from WTOP’s partners in the 7News First Alert Weather Center.

The seasonal average snowfall in D.C. is 13.7 inches, and First Alert Weather is forecasting between 10 and 15 inches for the District and the close-in suburbs.

A bit farther north and west, in places such as Frederick, Maryland, and Leesburg, Virginia, First Alert Weather is anticipating between 15-20 inches of snowfall. The forecast also projects 15-20 inches for Southern Maryland.

The slightly below-average projection is driven by La Niña, which can also make things hard to predict in the mid-Atlantic region. The La Niña pattern typically affects the jet stream in a wa