Autumn is here and that means we’re not too far from the first snowfall of the season. While there’s no way to predict Mother Nature entirely, monitoring sea surface temperatures gives experts a good idea of what we can expect in the months ahead.
Weather Works Inc.—The Weather Experts—recently released their 2019-2020 Winter Forecast Preview. You can see the full report here, but we’ve provided a quick breakdown below.
How does sea surface temperature affect weather in the United States?
Aside from the Atlantic, all oceans are relatively far away from the eastern half of the United States. However, water temperature patterns around the world impact the jet stream, especially during the winter season. A link between a far away weather event and one close to home is known as “teleconnection.” As summer transitions to fall, scientists can monitor sea surface temperatures around the globe, compare those numbers to previous years, and then make predictions about the winter ahead.
What are experts saying about winter 2019-2020?
The Weather Experts 2019-2020 Winter Forecast Preview predicts we’re in for a “neutral” winter. According to the report, the current “atmospheric set-up suggests an increased potential for an active and inherently snowy winter from Chicago through the Ohio Valley and east into the southern Great Lakes, Appalachia, and New England.” That’s good news for Utah, as the atmospheric setup “leaves the West Coast mild as the cold air dives in farther east.”
Utah can certainly benefit from precipitation, but I think we can all admit we’re happy to hear we probably don’t have to worry about blizzards this year.
