National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts that this year the US may see a warmer winter than usual. Most parts of the country might record high temperatures that are warmer than average as against being colder than average.
[yuzo_related]
The major contributor would be El Niño, a weather pattern linked to periodic warming in sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific. There is a huge possibility of El Niño to develop in late fall to early winter. Although a weak El Niño is expected to bring rainy spells in the South and a warm and dry weather in the North.
Regions that are expected to bear the brunt of warm weather would include the Southwest, the West Coast, the Northern Plains, the Great Lakes, Alaska and Hawaii and the Northeast. There are fewer chances of temperatures below average in the coming winters.
On the contrary, more than average rainfall is expected in parts of Alaska, the Southeast, the Southwest and the eastern seaboard.
Forecasters, however, differ in their perspectives about this winter. Some like Farmers’ Almanac claim that the winters would be a prolonged, cold and snow-filled.
Therefore take it all with ball and chain and make sure to stock up on gloves and mufflers just to be on the safe side.
Image Credit: National Geographic
