Winter weather forecast released by NOAA for 2026-2027
NOAA has released its winter forecast for 2026-2027, predicting that a strong El Niño will lead to warmer-than-normal temperatures in the northern U.S. and wetter conditions across the southern tier. The report warns of potential flood risks in drought-prone areas.
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Accurate long-range weather forecasting is essential for public safety planning, infrastructure management, and agricultural preparation.
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The very strong El Niño is forecast to be the main driver of weather across the United States this winter, forecasters from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center said Oct. 15 in their annual winter outlook.
Basically the two main headlines in the winter forecast are unusual warmth across the nation's northern tier, and ongoing storminess across the southern tier.
“As we know from decades of observations, a very strong El Niño will likely bring a southward and eastward shift to the jet stream for the contiguous U.S., which tilts the odds toward stormier weather across the South,” said Ken Graham, director of NOAA’s National Weather Service, in a statement.
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