2009-2010: A Hellish Winter
What a difference a year makes when it comes to the cold and snowy weather that residents in the northeastern United States have become accustomed to. Last year, the northern I-95 corridor was blasted with multiple snowfalls that amounted to all-time record seasonal totals from Washington D.C. to Philadelphia to New York to Boston. No one seemed spared as Mother Nature displayed her wrath on mankind.
Less Snow, Milder Temperatures This Year
But all of that will change this year, says Joe Bastardi, the AccuWeather forecaster who nailed the 2009-10 season forecast. Bastardi, who is based out of Allentown, Penn., accurately predicted the amount of snow the area would receive, and how long the cold weather would last in both of his early season outlooks last year.
In his 2010-11 outlook issued Aug. 4, Bastardi says the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states will be spared the blizzard-like snowfalls this year. That’s because the storm tract will move west and straddle the Midwest instead. That means upper Midwestern cities can expect above-average snowfall. Everyone will experience greater-than-average temperature swings. Winter will get off to an early start with colder-than-normal temperatures in late November and early December. Those cold temperatures will give way to a prolonged January thaw for most of the country.
While Northeast residents may get off relatively easy, their counterparts in the northwest United States, Alaska and Western Canada will experience an extremely cold winter, Bastardi says.
Others Call for Less Snow
Bastardi, isn’t alone, however. According to Danté Brown-Royal at Weather Advance, the northeast will receive less snow this year than last year. However, the area can expect an average winter’s snowfall. New York receives about 28 inches of snow a year, for example. Brown-Royal does call for much colder than normal temperatures.
The National Weather Service’s Winter Prediction
The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center agrees somewhat. The agency predicts that residents in the northwestern United States and Alaska will have a greater chance of seeing below-normal temperatures for most of the winter season. However, the Weather Service suggests greater odds that the northeast will experience warmer-than-normal temperatures through December. The agency predicts equal odds of warmer or colder temperatures for the rest of the season.
The Weather Service calls for a snowier winter in the Ohio River Valley and in the Northwest.
Sources:
AccuWeather, The National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center, Weather Advance.
