NEEDHAM, Mass. —

Winter may get a jump start this year in New England, and if the atmospheric puzzle pieces line up just right, it could turn into a season worth watching.

Seasonal forecaster Dan Leonard, of The Weather Company in Andover, says early signs are pointing toward a colder-than-average setup to kick off December.

"Early December could flip quite cool around these parts," Leonard said.

After several underwhelming winters, Leonard has higher hopes for this winter.

"Our odds are a little higher than average for a potentially cold and snowy winter," Leonard said.

Boston has needed the last three years combined just to match the snowfall of one typical winter. Worcester has been running below average for snowfall for four years straight.

So what's driving this year's outlook?

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