Regional Public Journalism
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Three Month Outlook Forecasts Chilly Winter Ahead

Just about all the cities in the Northwest have endured a stretch of abnormally cold weather. Now an updated three-month climate outlook suggests the past could be prologue.

The latest computer model run by the National Climate Prediction Center increases the likelihood for below normal temperatures during the next three months in most of our region. This applies to all of Washington, nearly all of Oregon and the northern half of Idaho.

Washington State Climatologist Nick Bond says to get used to "chilly."

"We're anticipating perhaps a little bit more of the pattern that we've had for much of this past month, with cooler than normal temperatures."

Bond figures moisture could periodically slip in around the edges of a recurring ridge of high pressure.

The National Climate Prediction Center has a precipitation outlook to go along with its temperature outlook. That forecast calls for normal rainfall chances for the whole region through the winter.

On the Web:

Interactive temperature outlook map (National Weather Service)
Climate Outlook: What's Next for the Pacific NW? (Office of the Washington State Climatologist)

Now semi-retired, Tom Banse covered national news, business, science, public policy, Olympic sports and human interest stories from across the Northwest. He reported from well known and out–of–the–way places in the region where important, amusing, touching, or outrageous events unfolded. Tom's stories can be found online and were heard on-air during "Morning Edition" and "All Things Considered" on NPR stations in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.