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Is NJ Ready for a Snowy Winter?
A recent long-range outlook suggests that the Garden State may have a snowy winter as a result of the potent El Niño that is developing in the Pacific Ocean.
With the onset of El Niño, a climatic cycle that causes the anomalous warming of equatorial Pacific Ocean waters, AccuWeather and other long-range weather prediction agencies expect a snowier and colder winter.
According to the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, El Niño can have a variety of consequences, including significant precipitation in certain regions and droughts in others.
In January and February, several nor'easters may hit the state, dropping inches of snow instead of the below-average amounts that most of New Jersey received during the relatively poor 2022–23 winter. This prediction comes from AccuWeather.
"An early-season nor'easter can't be ruled out either as the ingredients for a snowstorm may come together sometime in November," AccuWeather said.
Warm water travels closer to South America's west coast during El Niño winters, driving the Pacific jet stream further north. Due to this pattern, the Southeast can receive heavy rain brought by humid air. The rain from those storms may change to snow when they enter the Northeast, which has a colder temperature.
The
National Weather Service's Climate outlook Center, which was predicting warmer-than-average temperatures for a portion of the state in December, January, and February as of this week, and
AccuWeather's prognosis are somewhat in agreement. The weather service predicts that there will likely be more precipitation throughout those three months than usual.
Additionally, the Northeast region is in for a lot of winter rain, sleet, and snow, according to the Farmer's Almanac's extended winter forecast for 2023–24.
