"Average" winter predicted for New England 2010

NOAA temperature forecast map, updated Nov 19.

New Englanders having heard about heavy snowfalls all around the country may be wondering what's in store for us this winter. The Climate Prediction Center, a branch of NOAA, has come out with their prediction: it's going to be just about average. For more details, see the Seasonal Outlook.

2009 is yet another year in which the size of the Arctic Ocean icecap is below normal, resulting in warmer than average temperatures across the Arctic region. It also causes greater than average precipitation, since open ocean can evaporate water much more efficiently than a frozen icecap can. At right is a picture showing the ice extent for September 2009, typically the warmest month in the Arctic due to the effects of seasonal lag on oceans. For more details, see the Sea ice report.