Kathy Orr's Winter Weather Forecast

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Do these cold temperatures have you wondering what type of winter we'll have?

We take our annual look forward into what may be in store for us.

And if you're a "winter-hater," you may be in luck.

Who could forget those brutal back-to-back winters?

The storms of 2009 and 2010, "Snowmageddon" -- 78 inches of snow!

The next year, 44 inches.

But our last two winters have been duds, with hardly enough snow to shovel.

Are we due for another bad one?

(Orr:) "What do you think the winter will be like?"

(Reka Magee:) "I think it's going to be really bad."

"It's gonna be miserable. It's gonna be cold. Really cold."

"I think it will be mild," Ruqayyah Malik of Philadelphia said.

"Looking at how mild the fall has been, and the summer has been, I am hoping it is trending toward a light, mild winter," Jasper Alivia of Marlton, N.J. said.

Those guessing mild are probably right.

Fall is a good predictor of winter temperatures, and so far, it's been moderate.

In December, we should be above the average monthly high of 45 degrees.

I do expect at least one cold period, but it'll only last a few days.

January will be different. We'll be below the average of 40 degrees.

But the mercury climbs in February.

The monthly average high will be a normal 44 degrees.

But moderate winter temperatures don't always mean less snow.

"Our winter it really is like a Forrest Gump box of chocolates. It opens up all types of combinations and possibilities," Tony Gigi said.

Tony Gigi is with the National Weather Service.

He says it's tough to forecast snowfall this year because of "La Nada," normal temperatures in the eastern Pacific.

We looked at the other factors.

First, Siberian snow coverage.

Right now, it's higher than normal, so that could mean more snow for us.

But something called the "NAO", the North Atlantic Oscillation, is expected to stay positive into December.

That means the jet stream will lock cold air north, creating more mixed precipitation events, keeping snow totals down.

And then there's the mild winter trend.

"We've had two successive winters where we've had 10 inches or less. That hasn't historically happened that often, but the times when it has, that third winter hasn't been that snowy," Gigi said.

So with all that in mind...

Here is the snow forecast.

In the colder Lehigh Valley, there will be between 25 and 30 inches.

The Jersey Shore 10 to 15 inches with more rain.

And in the Philadelphia area a total of 15 to 20 inches.

That's more snow than last year, but still below average and good news for "winter-haters!"

So as for snow, we only have a 30 percent chance of a white Christmas.

It's more likely in January and February, December will be less than average.