Weather Outlook for the Winter

So far, the fall season has had some very active and interesting weather. As we delve into the start of the winter season, the question is whether or not we will continue to see active weather across the United States.

The last few months have seen very heavy rains and record floods in the southern United States, cold spells and snow in the plains, snow in Houston, Texas and Louisiana, and a category 2 hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico in November. So, is all of this very active weather unusual? We should not jump to any conclusions. As far as anyone can tell, every year seems to have its extremes. There are always floods, snowstorms, thunderstorms, extreme temperatures, etc.

Almost everyone in the United States has had there fair of active or extreme weather this year. We had extremely hot and record breaking temperatures in the southwestern United States, flooding rains in the southern United States, and very serious flooding in the northern Plains. Perhaps the biggest highlight is that the 2009 hurricane season was rather uneventful. We did not have any devastating category 2, 3, or 4 hurricanes hit anywhere in the U.S. this season. This was a nice relief considering the devastation that was sustained in previous years.

So what is in store for the rest of the winter season? Will the South continue to see heavy rains and flooding? Will there be a huge snowstorm in the Northeast? Will the West continue to be pummeled with heavy rain, snow, and winds? Only time will tell. According to weather forecasters at NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), it appears that we may have above average precipitation in the West (particularly in California) and the Gulf Coast of Texas east to Florida. This sits right in line with what is currently occurring right now. This means that areas of the southern United States that have already been deluged will continue to be deluged. Keep those umbrellas handy if you live in southern Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, and Florida. With the rain, expect cooler than average temperatures. If you live in the Midwest, expect above average temperatures with cold spells at times. As far as the rest of the country goes, there are equal chances of above or below normal temperatures and above or below normal precipitation.

As far as my current location in Boulder City, Nevada goes, we have a chance of a wetter than average winter. So far, we have had two rainstorms blow through in the last couple of weeks. The first storm gave us a half inch of rain and the second about a tenth of an inch. Considering we are about a decade into a serious drought, we need a lot more. Enjoy the winter season!

Source:

"El Nino to Help Steer U.S. Winter Weather." National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.