NOAA: US Mid-Atlantic Temperatures Warm Feb-April
Last update: 1/17/2008 9:10:31 AM
NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--Temperatures in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region show a warming trend from February through April in the latest U.S. government forecast released Thursday.
A map published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows the region - which consumes the most heating oil in the U.S. - as experiencing a warming trend in the period.
Temperatures in New England don't show a clear trend in the period, with equal chances projected for normal, above-normal or below-normal temperatures in the period.
Taken together, New England and the Mid-Atlantic states form the world's largest heating oil market.
The three-month forecast map shows above-normal temperatures in West Texas and into Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah. Outward from that region, the map shows colored-key warm temperatures extending to eastern central California, across the Plains to the East Coast and up as far north as the middle of New York.
The region above that line in the middle of New York has the "equal chances" designation.
NOAA said La Nina conditions are expected to have the greatest impact on U.S. temperature and precipitation in February relative to previous months and La Nina conditions in December appear at their strongest so far for this event.
"Forecasts and observations support a prediction of strong La Nina conditions for (February-April), followed by weaker La Nina conditions thereafter," NOAA said.
"Most of the nation, including Northwest Alaska, is likely to experience above average temperatures, based on a combination of trend and La Nina influences," NOAA said.
La Nina refers to the unusual cooling of temperatures of the equatorial Pacific Ocean, which can have wide implications elsewhere.
- By David Bird, Dow Jones Newswires, 1-201-938-4423; david.bird@dowjones.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
January 17, 2008 09:10 ET (14:10 GMT) |
