Maulden claims weather story contained errors
Dear Editor:
The Tomahawks surprising news story, Experts say to expect cold, wet winter in the Southeast is not supported, as far as this writer can tell, by the sources cited, excepting the amusements of the Farmers Almanac. The writer cites the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and also mentions the status of El Nino predictions, but the NOAA agency which publishes long-term forecasts, the Climate Prediction Center, says that our area has equal chances of above average, average, and below average for both temperature and precipitation, at least as of this date. That forecast might change on the next revision date, sometime mid-month, but as of now the
entire southeast is labeled EC for equal chances in all the 90-day monthly groupings into next March. In fact, the nearest deviation from average is shown to be possibly lower precipitation just to the North and West of the Tricities, dipping into southern Kentucky. El Nino has a 60-65% likelihood according to NOAA. None of this means we wont have a cold, wet winter of course, but it is not accurate to say that is what is predicted. See for yourself at this website: www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/predictions/long_range/seasonal.php?lead=5
Paul Maulden