|
El Nino in the central
and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean is expected to be a
dominant climate factor that will influence the December
through February winter weather in the United States,
according to the 2009 Winter Outlook released today by
NOAA's Climate Prediction Center. Such seasonal outlooks are
part of NOAA's suite of climate services.
"We expect El Nino to
strengthen and persist through the winter months, providing
clues as to what the weather will be like during the
period," says Mike Halpert, deputy director of the Climate
Prediction Center - a division of the National Weather
Service. "Warmer ocean water in the equatorial Pacific
shifts the patterns of tropical rainfall that in turn change
the strength and position of the jetstream and storms over
the Pacific Ocean and the U.S."
"Other climate factors
are also likely to play a role in the winter weather at
times across the country," added Halpert. "Some of these
factors, such as the North Atlantic Oscillation are
difficult to predict more than one to two weeks in advance.
The NAO adds uncertainty to the forecast in the Northeast
and Mid-Atlantic portions of the country."
|
|
