Climate and Weather Monday, October 12, 2015 AccuWeather predicts warmer winter for Ohio The weather forecaster cites this year's El Niño weather pattern as the predictor for the warmer winter by WKSU's MICHAEL BRATTON |
 Reporter Michael Bratton | |
 | According to AccuWeather, Ohio should experience a milder winter with less lake effect snow due to the El Niņo weather pattern. | Courtesy of AccuWeather | Download (WKSU Only) | Ohioans may be in store for a mild winter this year. In a recent forecast, AccuWeather predicted a less-than-normal winter due to this year’s El Niño.
The weather pattern occurs every few years and causes warmer ocean temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, which usually results in warmer winters for the northern U.S.
Thomas Schmidlin is a climatology professor at Kent State University. He says while Ohio will likely experience a milder winter there’s still a chance for brutal cold and heavy snow. |
“There’s nothing sure about this, but you’ll always have those exceptions of one or two winters out of 10 where you have an El Niño and that doesn’t give us the signal that we normally expect," said Schmidlin. "Ohio tends to be in that area where the confidence is a little weaker than it is in some parts of the country.”
Schmidlin also says those living in the southern parts of the United States can expect to have a wetter, cooler winter due to the strong El Niño. |
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