Get ready for a warm, wet El Niño winter in Philly
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This winter is likely to be soggier than average in the Philadelphia metro.
Why it matters: Snow lovers could be disappointed for a second consecutive year.
Driving the news: Pennsylvania has a heightened chance of seeing 40%-45% warmer-than-average temperatures this winter, per a new NOAA seasonal outlook.
- Plus: Odds are that precipitation will be 33% higher than average.
Of note: NOAA's forecasts are from December through February.
The big picture: El Niño, which is currently rated as strong and forecast to intensify further, typically has its greatest effects on weather patterns across North America during the winter months.
Flashback: Snow was scarce last year.
- The 2022-23 winter was among the warmest on record, bringing with it merely 0.3 inches of the white stuff, per the Inquirer.
The intrigue: Don't count out snow just yet.
- Accuweather is predicting Philly could see between 16-24 inches of snow this winter.
❄️ Be smart: Philadelphia's average winter snowfall is 23 inches.
What they're saying: NOAA meteorologist Amanda Lee tells Axios that El Niño winters don't necessarily translate to more or less snow in the region, so anything could happen.
Editor's note: This story was corrected to note that Philadelphia received 0.3 inches of snow last year, not 3 inches.