Winter Weather Prediction? Flip A Coin
By WKyStar Staff
COLLEGE PARK, MD - NOAA's Climate Prediction Center has issued its annual winter outlook for December through February, and according to the experts, this area could see a winter that is colder, or warmer, and wetter, or drier... or just plain average.
The Ohio River valley is in a large part of the United States that is predicted to have an equal chance of receiving above-, near-normal-, or below average temperatures and precipitation. By comparison, the western half of the country is being told to expect warmer than normal temperatures, while Florida could see below normal temps. Further, the Pacific Northwest and upper Midwest could be in for a drier than normal winter, while the Gulf Coast may be wetter than average.
Forecasters are less sure of their outlook this season because an anticipated warm water El Nino has not yet formed in the Pacific Ocean. An El Nino can influence the course of the jet stream over North America, and so the continental climate.
See the Climate Prediction Center's Winter Outlook at the link posted below:
On the Net:
NOAA Winter Outlook for the U.S.