Winter Forecast Holds More Cold
Dec. 19 -- The chilly blasts felt over much of the nationin recent days are a preview of winter, the National WeatherService said today.
“There is a good chance of seeing a couple more major coldoutbreaks and considerable swings in temperature and precipitationacross the nation,” said Weather Service Director Jack Kelly.
Kelly’s comments came as his agency updated its long-rangewinter forecast.
Chill Will Linger
He said cold temperatures are expected to continue through thenext two weeks in the Western and Southern states, the Great Lakesregion and New England.
“The recent cold spell, including the ice storms, is an exampleof what most of the nation will likely face throughout thewinter,” Kelly said. “Take precautions now to prepare for thiswinter, because it’s here.”
The Cold Spots
A rundown of the updated 2001 forecast, as compared with “normal” or average conditions between 1961-1990:
Colder than normal for the southern half of Alaska.
Colder than normal in a region including Idaho, easternWashington and Oregon, northern Nevada and Utah, the westernmostsections of Montana and Wyoming, and northwest Colorado.
Colder than normal in the Dakotas, northeast Nebraska,Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan and northern Illinois andIndiana.
Colder and wetter than normal in northern Ohio, northwesternPennsylvania and central and western New York.
The Wet or Warm Spots
Wetter than normal in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia,Kentucky, Tennessee, western Virginia, southern Illinois, southernIndiana, southeast Missouri, Arkansas, northeast Texas, northernLouisiana, the northern half of Mississippi and Alabama and northernedge of Georgia.
Warmer than normal in interior Southern California, Arizona,the southern half of New Mexico, southern two-thirds of Texas, andsouthern parts of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.
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