Posted on 10/09/2007 10:51:04 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States will have warmer-than-normal temperatures this winter in most of the country, except for the northern Plains and Northwest states, government weather experts predicted on Tuesday.
As for precipitation, it will be drier than average across the Southwest and the Southeast, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration projected in its winter forecast.
The Ohio and Tennessee Valleys, northern Rockies and Hawaii will be wetter than normal this winter, the agency predicted.
NOAA also forecast a weak to moderate La Nina weather phenomenon, which is marked by unusually cold temperatures in the eastern equatorial Pacific, during the 2006-2007 winter.
"La Nina is here, with a weak to moderate event likely to persist through the winter," said Michael Halpert, head of forecast operations and acting deputy director of NOAA's's Climate Prediction Center.
In the U.S., La Nina usually brings wetter weather to the Pacific Northwest and dryer warmer weather across the South.
"The big concern this winter may be the persistence of drought across large parts of the already parched South. And while December through February is likely to be another milder-than-average winter for much of the country, people should still expect some bouts of winter weather," Halpert added.
NOAA also predicted the following:
* above-average temperatures in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic in response to the long-term warming trend.
* milder-than-average weather in northern Alaska and above-average temperature and precipitation in Hawaii
* across the country, according to NOAA's heating degree day forecast, December through February will be 2.8 percent warmer than the 30-year norm, but still 1.3 percent cooler than last winter.
Lets hope its warmer, might save us billions on heating oil and the north east.
I hope they are better at winter predictions than they are are hurricane predictions............
My peacocks say we will have an early winter. They’re very wise about these things, ya know.
The Old Farmers Almanac has predicted the drought that has so affected the Southeast (northern Alabama in particular) will continue through 2008.
Sounds like I picked the wrong year to invest in heating oil.
/s (duh)
I have been waiting for summer for 2 years now.
The next ice age cometh...
Has anyone heard what the woolly worms are predicting for this winter? I know its an old wives tale but they are usually right......
I heard a report on Fox news this morning oil prices will rise due to an anticipated colder than normal winter! LOL!!!!
What does the Farmer’s Almanac say? It’s probably more accurate.
I think you’re on to something.
I’m still waiting for all the hurricanes that NOAA promised.
So far our temps are 10 degrees BELOW normal here in WA State....and our summer was terrible! What summer? It felt like spring.
I am already wearing my Columbia parka on the way to work (gotta walk to my office).
I’m using my completely unscientific method of Chukar population in Idaho as my winter predictor. Chukar population is the lowest it has been in 23 years I think it is. 22 years ago (the year after the previous record low count) the Chukar population was at a record high because of greater then average snowfall allowing for more water and vegetation in the spring. So if history of Chukar population holds true then this year should have greater then average snowfall.
Completely unscientific, but just as accurate as NOAA predictions :)
‘The Ohio and Tennessee Valleys, northern Rockies and Hawaii will be wetter than normal this winter, the agency predicted.’
Here in Southern Ohio lord knows we need the rain and snow to make up for the drought we’ve been experiencing for the past six or seven months.
Yesterday we tied the known all time high temperature record, topping out at 91 degrees.
In October its 91, and we haven’t had the deluge of falling leaves?
Wolly worms in Illinois are all black this year. That means either it’s going to be colder than normal, or it means that it’s going to be warmer than normal.
I live in West Tenn. We are 18 inches below normal, and still breaking heat records.
I long for that good old So. Cal climate.
I will have no complaints about that whatsoever.
A revised forecast will be released tomorrow.
You might want to check with these people...
http://vermilionohioharbourtown.homestead.com/VermilionOhioWoollyBearFestival.html
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