[November 15, 2018]

Earth Networks Announces U.S. Winter Weather Outlook

Earth Networks released its 2018-2019 U.S. Winter Outlook today, predicting above normal snow in the mountains of the Southwest and southern Appalachians and below normal snowfall in the Northern Plains and Western Great Lakes.

As accurately forecast by Earth Networks Meteorologists, last winter was largely driven by a La Niña, which is a pattern of cooling in the Equatorial Pacific waters. It was a warm winter, in the top third of all winters for warmest and driest conditions since records began being recorded in the late 1800s.

The Earth Networks Outlook considers a developing weak to moderate El Niño, Equatorial Pacific Ocean temperature anomalies, Quasi-Biennial Oscillation (QBO), which refer to the high-altitude winds near the equator that impact global circulation patterns, as well as recent climate trends.

Indications for this winter are that a weak to moderate El Niño is developing. Our current pattern will hold during December, but in January, the QBO will become more positive resulting in an increased risk of above average temperatures in the Northwest and Northern Plains. In February, polar air is expected to be confined north of the U.S. border, producing an increased chance of warmer conditions for most of the country particularly in the Central and Northern Plains.

Notable highlights:

• Soggy in the South - The active southern jet stream associated with El Niño could produce more wet weather across the southern states.
• Warmer out West- The Northern Rockies have the best chance to be warmer than average.
• Drier in the North - From the Plains to the Upper Midwest, there is a reduced chance of precipitation in the northern states.
• Fire Risks to Continue in C.A.? - In Southern California, after an early enhanced risk, wildfire risks should eventually diminish.

"The most recent El Niño winter of 2015-2016 was one of the strongest on record," said Chad Merrill, Senior Meteorologist at Earth Networks. "This winter won't reach that magnitude, but instead will feature a typical El Niño pattern, which is reflected in our forecast."

El Niño typically produces generally warmer than normal conditions across the northern and western U.S., with more seasonal-to-cool and wet conditions across the South. For a more detailed look at the Earth Networks 2018-2019 U.S. Winter Weather Forecast visit Earth Networks.

About Earth Networks

Earth Networks helps organizations mitigate financial, operational and human risk by providing environmental intelligence from the world's largest hyperlocal weather network. Schools, airports, sports teams, utilities and government agencies rely on our early warning solutions to safeguard lives, prepare for weather events and optimize operations. Companies across all industries use our weather data to automate decisions regarding risk management, business continuity, and asset protection.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20181115005875/en/

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