ASHEBORO N.C. – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) is calling for a warmer and dryer winter this year as La Nina continues.
Each year NOAA puts out its yearly winter forecast predictions. This year the governmental agencies forecast which covers December 2022 through February 2023, is calling for La Niña to return for a third consecutive winter. For North Carolina this forecast calls for warmer-than-average temperatures with drier-than-average conditions.
“The hardworking forecasters at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center produce timely and accurate seasonal outlooks and short-term forecasts year-round,” said Michael Farrar, Ph.D., director of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction. “NOAA’s new supercomputers are enabling us to develop even better, more detailed forecast capabilities, which we’ll be rolling out in the coming years.”
Seasonal outlooks help communities prepare for what is likely to come in the months ahead and minimize weather’s impacts on lives and livelihoods. Resources such as drought.gov and climate.gov provide comprehensive tools to better understand and plan for climate-driven hazards. Empowering people with actionable forecasts, seasonal predictions and winter weather safety tips is key to NOAA’s effort to build a more Weather– and Climate-Ready Nation.