New Maps Show US Winter Outlook as El Niño Strengthens
Forecasters at the Climate Prediction Center issued updated outlooks for the winter season on Thursday.
Federal forecasters have released new outlooks depicting what winter may bring across the United States, with a strengthening El Niño expected to impact weather conditions nationwide. The Climate Prediction Center (CPC) issued its latest projections for the December-to-February season on Thursday. According to the maps, the northern part of the country has a higher chance of experiencing above-average temperatures, while certain areas in the southern U.S. are anticipated to see wetter-than-average weather.
Newsweek reached out to the CPC for a statement via email on Thursday. Scott Handel, the lead meteorologist at the CPC, explained to Newsweek that the outlooks indicate the probability of seasonal temperatures and precipitation being above, near, or below average. The forecasts do not predict specific values or individual weather events.
An area that is more likely to have a warmer-than-normal winter may still encounter severe cold spells, and vice versa. Handel clarified that an increased likelihood of above-normal temperatures in Alaska does not mean that Alaska's temperatures will necessarily be higher than Florida's; Alaskan temperatures are more probable to be above normal compared to those in Florida.
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