Date: Fri 23-Jan-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: DOTTIE

Quick Words:

weather-winter-ice

Full Text:

Weather Report: Ice Is Nice But Warm Weather Is Better

(with cuts)

BY DOROTHY EVANS

As predicted, our El Nino winter has turned out to be both "wet" and "warm."

Mild rather than wild, thanks to a fortuitous southerly slumping in the path

of that troublesome weather maker, the jet stream.

Chris Urban, Western Connecticut State University meteorologist, said

Wednesday afternoon that temperatures since the beginning of 1998 have been

averaging eight degrees above normal.

"Usually in the month of January, the high is 34 degrees and the low is 16.

We've been having highs in the 40s," Mr Urban said.

Since this is an El Nino year, patterns of precipitation are set by what is

happening in the warm waters off the Pacific Ocean, Mr Urban explained. That

means extra moisture stirred up over the Pacific will be carried from west to

east following the track of the jet stream.

"Luckily, we've missed most of what would have turned into heavy snowfalls,"

he added. This is good news. It seems we have dodged a blizzard or two.

To be sure, we have been experiencing unsettled conditions: A little snow

early this week (‹ inch total); a little ice last week (¬ inch on the tree

branches); and a little fog the week before that.

But what about next week?

Without an Arctic cold front, can there be a January thaw? Mr Urban admits he

doesn't know.

"It's very tough to tell. This is Connecticut, remember."