The news is grim from the Farmer's Almanac, "Old Man Winter doesn't want to give up his frigid hold just yet, but his hold will mostly be in the middle of the country." Not a very comforting forecast for those of us in the Tri-State.
The forecast from the
Farmer's Almanac places the Tri-State in Very Cold & Snowy during January-March 2010, while eastern Ohio will see Average Temps and Precipitation.
Long range seasonal models from the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center for January, February and March 2010 have a different take on the forecast. Their model is showing slightly above normal temps with below normal precipitation. Their long range model for December '09 - February '10 depicts near normal temps with below normal precipitation.
The National Weather Service is basing their forecast on a weak El Nino which causes the central and eastern tropical Pacific waters to warm. It usually lasts about 12 months.
Global temperature data from NASA satellites launched in 1979 have shown a decline in temperatures over the past decade. The National Climatic Data Center shows that temperatures in 2008 were below normal for most of the country when looking at the 115 year average.
There was only a slight increase in global temperatures for July and August this year due to a weak El Nino, yet Cincinnati in July recorded its coldest July since records started being kept in 1869.
