Earth Networks Unveils U.S. Winter Weather Outlook

Impacts from Near-Record El Niño will be magnified by several factors 

Germantown, MD – November 18, 2015 – The WeatherBug Meteorology Team at Earth Networks released its 2015-2016 U.S. Winter Outlook today, which forecasts one of the strongest El Niño events on record.  This strong El Niño, along with other ocean temperature trends, will likely bring California drought relief and other winter wild-cards.

Notable 2015-2016 U.S. Winter Outlook highlights from the WeatherBug Meteorology Team include:

• Drought Relief For California – Increased threat of above-normal rain and mountain snow from California to the southern Rockies should help decrease extreme drought in California.
• No Drought Reprieve For Pacific Northwest – Above-average temperatures along with increased chances for below-normal precipitation across the Northwest U.S. will likely prolong the region’s ongoing deep drought.
• Northern Plains Catch A Break – Very strong signals for above-normal temperatures from Montana to Minnesota.
• No Southern Comfort – Below-average temperatures and above-normal precipitation are favored across the Deep South, stretching from Texas along the Gulf Coast to Florida, including Dallas, Houston, New Orleans and Tampa.
• Northeast Thaw – Above-average winter temperatures are expected for the Northeast, but paired with an increased threat of above-normal precipitation up and down the Eastern Seaboard.
• East Coast Snow? – While an active storm-track is expected across the Southern U.S. and up the East Coast, snowfall in Washington, Philadelphia, New York and Boston is a wild-card. Some strong El Niño, years produced above-normal snow while others generated well-below-normal snowfall.
• Mountain Snow – Get your skis and snowboards ready. There are somewhat increased chances for above-normal snowfall in California’s Sierra Nevada, the Southern Rockies –Denver included — and the Appalachians in the East. 

“One of the strongest El Niño events in the past 65 years is likely to bring significant winter weather to the United States,” said James Aman, Senior Meteorologist, Earth Networks. “Previous strong El Niño winters saw flooding in the Southeast U.S. and California – which bodes well for California’s ongoing drought. Beyond that, we see significant departures from normal across the U.S.”

Winters with strong El Niño events have historically been wetter and cooler across the southern U.S. and warmer for the Northern Plains and Pacific Northwest. Additionally, above-normal water temperatures in the eastern Pacific and western Atlantic oceans will help give an added boost to this winter’s forecast.

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