Subject: another winter forecast - - this one from wsi
note : add this to the noaa and salomon smith barney forecasts . lb
wsi sees mild winter in northeast , cold in west
in contrast to forecasts by the national oceanic and atmospheric administration ( noaa ) and salomon smith barney of a colder - than - normal winter in key energy consuming regions , wsi corp . ' s end - of - october update to its seasonal forecast for november , december and january predicts warmer - than - normal temperatures in the northeast , mid - atlantic and in the central and southern plains . wsi , however , said it expects cooler - than - normal temperatures in the gulf coast states , northern plains , great lakes states , and all areas west of the rocky mountains .
" the expectation of below - normal temperatures in the north - central united states during the november - january period is similar to the oct . 18 th [ noaa ] outlook , " said todd crawford , a wsi seasonal forecaster . " the most significant difference in our outlooks is that we expect warmer - than - normal temperatures in the northeast during the period while cpc is forecasting cooler - than - normal . "
wsi sees the following monthly trends :
in november , cooler - than - normal temperatures are expected in the western half of the united states , the northern plains , and florida , while warmer - than - normal temperatures are expected across the central and southern plains and most of the eastern united states .
in december , cooler - than - normal temperatures are anticipated across much of the country , with the exception of the southeast , new england , and parts of the central rockies . wsi sees numerous arctic outbreaks to affect the northern plains states during the month .
in january , wsi forecasts warmer - than - normal temperatures across the central and southern plains , central rockies , northeast , and mid - atlantic states . cooler - than - normal temperatures are expected along the pacific coast , in the southwest , northern rockies and northern plains , and in the ohio valley .
wsi said its three - month seasonal forecasts have been accurate for seven straight periods , and nine out of the last 12 . an accurate seasonal forecast is defined as one that is closer to what is actually observed versus a forecast that uses the 30 - year average temperature , it said .
energy security analysis inc . ( esai ) said the latest wsi forecast for milder temperatures is bearish for gas and power prices . esai also said , however , that in the wscc the outlook for cooler - then - average conditions will translate into higher levels of heating demand . due to recent poor hydro - generation conditions , power supplies in regions like the pacific northwest and northern california could be limited , in which case higher levels of weather - induced demand are likely to bring stronger power prices .
wsi is a subsidiary of landmark communications . more information about wsi can be found at www . wsienergycast . com .