Earlier this month the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued its updated winter weather forecast.
The updated forecast calls for warmer-than-average temperatures expected across the northern U.S.; wetter-than-average conditions likely across the southern U.S., from California to Florida, and along the Eastern Seaboard; and drought improving for the majority of the country, including areas in the East, Southern Great Plains and Southwest.
“As we know from decades of observations, a very strong El Nino will likely bring a southward and eastward shift to the jet stream for the contiguous U.S., which tilts the odds toward stormier weather across the South,” Ken Graham, director of NOAA’s National Weather Service said in a statement.
“While higher chances of rain and snow may bring relief to drought-afflicted areas, too much precipitation on dry soil can fuel destructive flash floods and mudslides. Now is the time for communities and individuals to plan ahead for the upcoming winter.”
The NOAA cautioned that “the outlook does not project seasonal snowfall accumulations as snow forecasts are generally not predictable more than a week in advance.”
Heavy Snow Risk Expected in Three States Early in November
The NOAA uses December-February as the “winter” months, but winter is making an appearance earlier than December.
According to the latest forecast from the Climate Prediction Center, three states are facing a “heavy snow” risk from Nov. 7-11. Northern California and the Cascades in Oregon and Washington are set to see heavy snow early next month.
The 8-14 day forecast from the NOAA shows the region is expected to see above average temperatures for the first two weeks of November, so this snow could be held to higher elevations. The entire country is expected to see above average temperatures over that period as well.
