Winter Climate Patterns and Outlook, Northeast Region

January 17, 2018 News

The Climate Prediction Center’s temperature outlook for winter 2017–18 indicates that the Northeast is more likely to experience above-normal temperatures. This is primarily linked to long-term climate trends. During La Niña winters, northern New England and portions of New York can be snowier than usual, while the Mid-Atlantic tends to be less snowy. Read the full report. NOAA’s Regional Climate Services Program created these Outlooks to inform the public about climate impacts within their respective regions. Each regional report contains easy-to-understand language, and anyone can access them through the Drought Portal.

Diagram showing La Niña winter pattern — The image above shows the typical pattern during La Niña winters. High pressure over the eastern North Pacific leads to increased blocking. The polar and Pacific jet streams tend to split around this area of high pressure and join over the Northwest U.S. The jet stream tends to be wave-like, with the active storm track along the northern states. This increases the likelihood of cooler, stormier conditions. Across the southern U.S., conditions tend to be drier and warmer. It is important to note that this is a schematic diagram representing general patterns and is not created from actual data. For more information, please visit the ENSO Blog.