Bullish Forecast for Natural Gas

[dan_s]

Keep in mind that these states burn the most natural gas for residential space heating: Illinois, Ohio, Mich, Wis, and Texas

Another punishing winter is likely for the north-central USA, according to a forecast released today by the private weather forecasting firm AccuWeather.

While the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic shouldn't see a winter as severe as last year, bitterly cold blasts of arctic air are expected in the northern Plains, Midwest and Great Lakes in December and January, with above-average snowfall, according to AccuWeather long-range meteorologist Paul Pastelok.

Chicago, which endured several blizzards last winter, could be one of the hardest-hit U.S. cities in terms of both snow and cold, he says.

In the South, there is little hope for Texas to escape its epic drought this winter, as below-average precipitation is predicted for most of the state.

However, severe weather and flooding rains could again batter the lower Mississippi Valley and Southeast in February, AccuWeather forecasts.


The main climate factor this winter is La Nina, a phenomenon that occurs when sea-surface temperatures across the equatorial central and eastern Pacific Ocean are below normal. La Ninas often produce a volatile weather pattern for the Midwest and Northeast during the winter but also tend to produce drier-than-average conditions across the southern tier of the USA.