Warmer, Drier Winter Seen For Much Of U.S.

Unusually Dry In Southeast; Warm But Wet In Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri And Arkansas

(CBS/ AP)  Winter looks likely to be mild in the Midwest and dry in the Southeast, the government said Thursday.

Warmer-than-average temperatures are expected for the nation's center, especially Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

NOAA's Climate Prediction Center said above-normal readings are also likely in a large area extending from New Mexico, Colorado and Nebraska in the west to southeastern South Dakota and southern Wisconsin.

Most of Michigan is in the warm area, which extends east to western New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, the western edge of Virginia and North Carolina and northern Georgia.

The rest of the 48 contiguous states have equal chances of being warmer or cooler than normal, the forecast said.

Most of Alaska is expected to be warmer than normal, as are the westernmost of the Hawaiian islands. The Big Island of Hawaii is expected to be cooler than usual for winter, which meteorologists define as December through February.

Turning to rain and snowfall, the outlook is for wetter than normal for the season in Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas.

Drier than normal is expected the southeastern and Gulf Coast states, extending westward across Texas to New Mexico and most of Arizona. The strongest chance for unusually dry weather is in north Florida, southern Georgia and the coastal Carolinas, as well as along the southern New Mexico-Arizona border.

The rest of the country, including Alaska and Hawaii, have equal changes of wetter, drier or normal conditions.

The forecasters said long term forecasts are especially challenging this year because neither the El Nino or La Nina conditions are under way in the Pacific Ocean. Those warmer or cooler than normal water readings tend to affect climate across the country.

Because other patterns are harder to predict, Michael Halpert, deputy director of the Climate Prediction Center, said, "We expect variability, or substantial changes in temperature and precipitation across much of the country."

[hawksprings]

2008 is going to be a much cooler than average year.
That''s why they don''t call it "Global Warming" anymore.

[downsteamjim]

It looks like a good bet that the U.S. will either be warmer, cooler, or the same and it will be drier, wetter, or the same.

[heavylexus]

wonder how much we paid for this jibberish. Farmers Almanac is a lot less expensive

[centerfall94]

Lol... what is it about evidence of global warming that encourages morons to refute it?

[ajmarine111]

Lol... what is it about evidence of global warming that encourages morons to refute it?


Posted by Centerfall94 at 08:26 PM : Nov 20, 2008



I guess it just that no one wants to blame the Sun or natural occuring things that the Earth has always done.

Mostly, people just want to blame it all on man made causes and say "that''s it" that bothers people.

[allzwell]

The government under the Bush administration says we''ll have a warmer, drier winter? Then prepare yourself for the coldest, wettest winter on record. I''m a betting man and these guys have a record. Any takers?

[on_alert247]

The forecast was such a bust last year you can bet on just the opposite happening.

[ruby0728]

It looks like a good bet that the U.S. will either be warmer, cooler, or the same and it will be drier, wetter, or the same.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------
LOL!!! Yeah, it was 80 last Saturday and 25 on Tuesday.....they cannot accurately predict much more than a couple days in advance.
Whatever, the weather is what it is..and right now, it''s sorta cold.

[chad55555]

It''s all going to change,the air,the sun,the oceans.Mans progress is causing mother earth to fight back.The animals of the earth canot survive with man''s greed.We have now reached the point of no return and change will be quick for the earth to survive. EXPERTS KNOW LITTLE BUT DESTROY EVERYTHING.

[ybotheratall]

Where are the "Global Cooling" alarmists from the 70s? They are cashing in on the "Global Warming" pandemonium. What a crock all of it is. Natural, cyclic changes in the earth is what it is. Stop trying to cash in on mother nature.

[usclimey]

The Farmer''s Almanac is predicting a harsher than normal winter for the mid-west. They have a better success rate than the pros at NOAA.

[wiswolf2]

I beleive that we will have more weather this year than what we had last year!

[mkrafft1]

...and in related news, the secretary of defense says the war could be over by the end of the year or last a lot longer and the secretary of the treasury says they''re pretty sure this recession is going to get worse or get better.

[toolmangler-2009]

Posted by mkrafft1 at 11:46 AM : Nov 21, 2008




LOL, Not to mention that there will be a 100% chance of weather this year.

[xlib]

allzwell-and the weather under the chosen one will be whatever HE says it is. If it''s snowy and he refuses to accept the snow-IGNORE IT and wear shorts. If you don''t the civilian defense force under the messiah will do a "joe the plummer" on you.
For God''s sake, idiot, get a life.

[toolmangler-2009]

EXPERTS KNOW LITTLE BUT DESTROY EVERYTHING.
Posted by chad55555 at 07:46 AM : Nov 21, 2008



well said, But For the alarmist in viewing range, I predict that less than 100 years after Man is gone, the Earth will be back to normal. (think about what I said before replying)

[xlib]

centerfall94-and where did you stand in the 70''s when there was an outcry of the impending "ice age"? Oh yea, you were probably 12 and will remain in that age.
Listen, right now it''s snowing and our ski resorts are thrilled. We here in Western New York call it "season change".

[toolmangler-2009]

If you don''''t the civilian defense force under the messiah will do a "joe the plummer" on you.
For God''''s sake, idiot, get a life.
Posted by Xlib at 11:56 AM : Nov 21, 2008
______________________________________________________
It amazes me that you can appear so clueless one moment
TM
_____________________________________________________

Posted by Xlib at 11:59 AM : Nov 21, 2008


and so normal the next??????

[slim1h2o]

...and in related news, the secretary of defense says the war could be over by the end of the year or last a lot longer and the secretary of the treasury says they''''re pretty sure this recession is going to get worse or get better.

Posted by mkrafft1 at 11:46 AM : Nov 21, 2008

And in the mornings, will be general foggyness of our leaders, and will be followed by general ineptness.
Diminshing to crazy, heady thievery in the afternoon.

Evening temps could increase with hotspots known as the sacking of Washington, then clearing to a mild haze.

[blackyowe]

Yeah, right! I have 30 inches on the ground right now!