Non-Definitive Forecast

When even National Weather Service meteorologists admit having a lack of confidence in their forecast for the next 90 days you know something’s up. The Climate Prediction Center of the National Weather Service released its forecast covering February, March, and April last week and if anyone was hoping for a clear picture on what to expect precipitation wise they now know that it’s still anyone’s guess. The absence of either a El Nino or La Nina weather pattern this winter even has the experts scratching their heads and unable to make a definitive forecast. Basically, weather is and will remain in a neutral holding pattern. In their words, “we have an equal chance of having above normal temperatures or below normal temperatures”. The NWS does offer a glimmer of hope though for some precipitation for the drought suffering Mid-West and Eastern Corn Belt. Here in the Pacific Northwest there are still indicators that it will remain drier than normal with below normal temperatures. The NWS experts do point out though that neutral years can run the gamut, and that some of the strongest storms, whether that’s rain, snow, or wind, have surfaced in neutral years.