MAY NOT BE SNOW FRIGID
‘Warmer’ NYC winter
New York City could be in for a warmer than average winter, but some upstate areas may get slammed with more snow than usual. The outlook for the Empire State comes from an updated winter forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Predication Center. Meteorologists expect La Niña, the global weather pattern influenced by colder temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, to dominate for a third straight winter. The phenomenon is forecasted to bring colder weather to the northwestern region of the country and to the western Great Lakes — but there’s a 33-40% chance that air along the coastal Northeast and in the tri-state area will be warmer than average.
NOAA predicts New York’s downstate region has an “equal chance” of getting more or less snow than average — but a large swath of the western and central part of the state has a 33-40% chance of an especially snowy winter.
The odds of the Buffalo region seeing more snow than usual are up to 50%, according to the models.
Snowfall effect
New York City gets an average of 30 inches of snow per winter. Last year, predictions that La Niña would bring more powder to the city proved true, with 37 inches falling in Central Park, according to government statistics.
“The hardworking forecasters at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center produce timely and accurate seasonal outlooks and shortterm forecasts year-round,” said Michael Farrar, director of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction.
“NOAA’s new supercomputers are enabling us to develop even better, more detailed forecast capabilities, which we’ll be rolling out in the coming years.”