If predictions are correct, chances are slim that Chicago will see a repeat of the massive February 2011 blizzard.
The National Weather Service 2012 Winter Outlook, released Thursday, says that odds favor a dryer-than-normal winter for the upper Midwest, which includes Illinois.
However, forecasters said a wavering El Niño, expected to have developed by now, makes this year's winter outlook less certain than previous years.
"This is one of the most challenging outlooks we’ve produced in recent years because El Niño decided not to show up as expected," said Mike Halpert, deputy director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center. "In fact, it stalled out last month, leaving neutral conditions in place in the tropical Pacific."
The outlook does not project where and when snowstorms may hit or provide total seasonal snowfall accumulations, forecasters warned. Snow forecasts are dependent upon the strength and track of winter storms, which are generally not predictable more than a week in advance.
Full Source: http://www.nbcchicago.com/weather/stories/chicago-winter-weather-2012-prediction-el-nino-174811411.html
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