Got your snow blowers gassed up and ready for action, New Jersey?

Mother Nature will be delivering a snowy winter to the Garden State and other eastern states, from Maryland to Maine -- if you believe in ultra long-range weather forecasts by the Farmers' Almanac.

Yes, we still have to get through the rest of this summer and then the fall before the first wave of frozen precipitation makes a mess of our roads and sidewalks, but the Farmers' Almanac has already issued its predictions for the 2017-2018 winter season.

The publication, which is based in Maine and has been around for 200 years, is calling for five coastal storms to batter the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast region with snow.

"This winter is expected to be a bit more 'normal' as far as the temperatures are concerned, especially in the eastern and central parts of the country -- chiefly those areas to the east of the Rocky Mountains -- with many locations experiencing above-normal precipitation," the Almanac says in its winter forecast.

With cold temperatures and above-average precipitation from the Great Lakes into the Northeast, "snowier-than-normal conditions are expected," according to the Almanac's latest edition, which goes on sale this week.

"For the western third of the country -- mainly those areas west of the Continental Divide -- the overall winter will not be as wet as last year," the Almanac says. "Our forecasts are pointing to a return to more normal winter conditions in regard to both temperatures and precipitation."

Although meteorologists and climatologists tend to be skeptical of long-range weather forecasts by the Farmers' Almanac and its competitor, the Old Farmer's Almanac, the publications say they have a high accuracy rate.

Editors at the Farmers' Almanac are hoping to improve on some of their faulty predictions from last winter. That's when heavy snow failed to materialize in the Midwest and the Mid-Atlantic states, where temperatures were milder than expected.

"Being in the business of predicting long-range weather forecasts is exciting, worrisome and rewarding," managing editor Sandi Duncan told the Associated Press. "Many of our readers rejoice when we predict cold and snowy conditions while others complain that it's too cold and wet. Yet we have to stick by our predictions no matter what Mother Nature may throw at us."

The Almanac says it makes its long-range weather forecasts using a formula dating back to 1818, based on sunspots, tide cycles, planet alignment and other factors that are typically shunned by modern scientists.

For what it's worth, if you're looking to book a ski trip or hoping for a snow day at school or work, the Farmers' Almanac is "red-flagging" these dates in 2018 for heavy precipitation along the Atlantic seaboard: Jan. 20 to Jan. 23, Feb. 4 to Feb. 7, Feb. 16 to Feb. 19, March 1 to March 3 and March 20 to March 23.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality or like him on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.