freestyledork
Member
Published October 12, 2006
Relax, mild winter is in the forecast
Midwest to see warmer temps from El Nino
By Hannah Northey
Lansing State Journal
STORY TEXT
Don’t expect to wear your hat and gloves for long — Michigan’s in for a warm winter.
True,
the anticipated flurries and temps in the 30s today hardly seem like a
harbinger of nice weather. But climatologists say an El Nino is
strengthening and will create a warmer-than-normal winter in the
Midwest.
“We have a weak El Nino that we expect to strengthen
some, favoring warmer weather in January and February in Michigan,”
said Michael Halpert, lead forecaster at the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration Climate Prediction Center.
“There’s no way to tell what will happen in December.”
El
Nino is a disruption of the ocean-atmosphere system in the tropical
Pacific; it means “the boy” in Spanish, named so by fishermen who first
recognized the phenomenon in the 1500s.
The strengthening El
Nino surprised researchers at The Old Farmer’s Almanac, who had
predicted a colder, snowier season for Michigan.
“We didn’t see when we were making the predictions that the El Nino would develop,” research editor Martie Majoros said.
“But it will have a moderating effect on much of the country.”
The news is bittersweet for avid snow boarder Stephen Wald, 18, of Okemos.
“It’ll be disappointing not being able to get out as much,” he said.
“But I really enjoy the warm weather.”
Relax, mild winter is in the forecast
Midwest to see warmer temps from El Nino
By Hannah Northey
Lansing State Journal
STORY TEXT
Don’t expect to wear your hat and gloves for long — Michigan’s in for a warm winter.
True,
the anticipated flurries and temps in the 30s today hardly seem like a
harbinger of nice weather. But climatologists say an El Nino is
strengthening and will create a warmer-than-normal winter in the
Midwest.
“We have a weak El Nino that we expect to strengthen
some, favoring warmer weather in January and February in Michigan,”
said Michael Halpert, lead forecaster at the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration Climate Prediction Center.
“There’s no way to tell what will happen in December.”
El
Nino is a disruption of the ocean-atmosphere system in the tropical
Pacific; it means “the boy” in Spanish, named so by fishermen who first
recognized the phenomenon in the 1500s.
The strengthening El
Nino surprised researchers at The Old Farmer’s Almanac, who had
predicted a colder, snowier season for Michigan.
“We didn’t see when we were making the predictions that the El Nino would develop,” research editor Martie Majoros said.
“But it will have a moderating effect on much of the country.”
The news is bittersweet for avid snow boarder Stephen Wald, 18, of Okemos.
“It’ll be disappointing not being able to get out as much,” he said.
“But I really enjoy the warm weather.”
