Is New England Going to Have a Harder Winter Than Last?
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
Following a winter in which Worcester was constantly in contention as the number one snowiest city in the country— what does this coming winter hold?
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released its 2015-2016 “U.S. Winter Outlook” last week, in which due to El Nino, it predicted the Northeast to have a warmer — and wetter — than normal winter. NECN reported, however “Super Cold, Slew of Snow Predicted for New England by Old Farmer’s Almanac” at the end of the summer.
So which one is it?
“I can't say with any confidence how this winter will turn out as there's a variance in signals with respect to global weather patterns,” said Benjamin Sipprell with the National Weather Service in Taunton, MA. “In the northern hemisphere, there are mixed-signals. It can go one way or the other with respect to temperature and precipitation. There's a dependence on how the atmosphere responds.”
Experts Weigh In
NOAA maps show temps in the Northeast being 33% to 40% warmer than usual this winter; precipitation is slated as being normal or slightly up for the region.
GoLocal veteran meteorologist John Ghiorse, like Sipprell at the NWS, was reticent to make any bold predictions.
Ghiorse continued, "As for precipitation, I sense neither exceptionally wet or exceptionally dry. It is usual in an El Nino winter that we do see regular stormy periods but many of the storms are snow to rain or just rain, especially along the coastal plain (which includes Providence but not Worcester). Any prediction of how much snow we'll get at a given location is out of the question but, in general, snowfall should be about average to slightly below average for the season overall (Providence average is around 34" for the season, Worcester around 64"). This "sense" is based, as I said, on the predicted unusually strong El Nino. If that El Nino does not develop as strongly as expected or diminishes half way through the winter ... disregard the above!”
Sipprell noted that years with past strong El Nino patterns didn’t always have the same weather outcomes.
"The thing is -- you have a strong El Nino, but it's unclear how it will impact our region. Historically, the stronger ones -- we've seen them in the past, 1982 and 1998 -- those both had had different implications, they weren't synonymous. I will say if there was an overall trend, I could say warmer and drier if it holds out," said Sipprell.
The U.S. Small Business Administration will host a free webinar focusing on the best practices to prevent risks posed by the winter season. The webinar will take place on Tuesday, October 27 from 2 to 2:30 p.m. For more information, go here.
Related Slideshow: Worcester’s Top Ten Highest Annual Snowfall Totals
Related Articles
- Help on the Way to Worcester to Assist in Snow Removal
- Worcester is the #1 Snowiest City in the United States
- The Worst Snow-Covered Sidewalks and Intersections in Worcester
- Disney on Ice Postponed Due to Incoming Snow
- MA Health Pushes Insurance Application Back Due to Snow
- Worcester’s Top Ten Highest Annual Snowfall Totals
- Baker Calls on National Guard, Requests More Equipment for Snow Removal
- Leonard Moorehead, The Urban Gardener: Seeds in the Snowbed
- City of Worcester Gearing Up for Potentially Huge Amounts of Snow Sunday
- Worcester DPW Concerned About Potential Flooding When Snow Melts
- NEW: Winter Storm Update: Worcester Hits 100 Inches of Snow this Season
- Worcester Already Has Snowiest February on Record
- Worcester Has Spent $4.7 Million in Snow Removal this Winter
- Worcester, Lowell and Boston are Top 3 Snowiest Cities in United States
- Baker and Polito Seek Federal Assistance to Cover Costs from Record Snowfall
- NEW: Worcester Anticipates 19 or More Inches of Snow
- Turtleboy: Buffalo Can’t Beat Us at Anything, Even Snow
- Worcester Commuters React to MBTA Mismanagement and Snow Delays
- 6 to 10 Inches of Snow Coming to Worcester Saturday Night
- Turtleboy: Lowell Passing Worcester For Snowiest City In USA Is A Gigantic Lie
- Finneran: Those Snow Drifts Hold Stories
- UPDATE: Worcester Is Back as #1 Snowiest City in the United States
- St.Patrick’s Day Parade Route: Park Avenue Covered in Snow
- National Weather Service Concerned About Snow Thaw in Worcester
- We’re #2!: Lowell Dethrones Worcester for Snowiest City in America
Follow us on Pinterest Google + Facebook Twitter See It Read It