US Weather Update: Which Regions Will See More Snow in the Winter?

Winter is coming and we mean that in the literal sense as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has now released its annual snowfall predictions for the US 2023-2034 winter season.

The agency predicts that in general, the US will see less snowfall this year in some parts, while other areas will have an above-average snowfall. This prediction comes after a warmer-than-normal fall season, especially in the southern United States, due to the effects of El Niño.

The areas that are expected to see less-than-normal snowfall this year would include the Great Lakes and the Northeastern US, which, according to Fox News, is typically snowy during the winter months. However, over in the Southern US and the Great Plains, snowfall is expected to be "more than average."

"The jet stream tends to extend eastward and shift southward during El Niño winters. You can think of the jet stream as a river of air, which carries more moisture and precipitation along the southern tier of the United States during El Niño," revealed NOAA. "Obviously, snowfall is limited in its southernmost reaches because it needs to be cold enough to snow, so the effects are strongest in the higher and colder elevations of the West."

"To the north, however, there is a reduction in snowfall, especially around the Great Lakes, interior New England, the northern Rockies and Pacific Northwest." added the weather agency.

US Weather Update: NOAA Predicts South Will Be Wetter While North Will Be Warmer

The NOAA's US weather predictions are all affected by the ongoing El Niño, which has caused drought across the Southeast, the Gulf Coast, and Texas. However, NOAA says that the drought there will likely improve as winter is expected to bring wetter weather in those areas.

As for precipitation, the agency predicts wetter-than-average conditions for areas such as northern Alaska, some areas of the West from parts of California to the south-central Rockies, the southern Plains, the Gulf Coast, the Southeast, and the lower mid-Atlantic. However, some areas will experience "drier-than-average conditions," such as portions of the northern Rockies and central Great Lakes region, especially for Michigan and northern Ohio, and Indiana.

For the ongoing droughts across the southern and central US, "Widespread extreme to exceptional drought" is expected to continue but it is expected to improve across the Southeast, the Gulf Coast (including the lower Mississippi Valley), and Texas because of the wetter-than-average forecast. However, it is expected to persist in areas such as the northern Rockies, northern Great Plains, and portions of the desert Southwest, as well as Hawaii.

Energy Demand Due To Heating Expected To Increase During Winter

With the winter months, heating usually increases. Accuweather is predicting that there would be a higher demand for heating overall than last year's.

In New York, heating degree days are predicted to be 4% below the historical average, but this is expected to be higher than last year's which was below 15%. This is an increase of around 11-12%. The same can be said for other areas such as New England and Texas.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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