Thursday, December 28, 2006
The region is on track for higher temperatures and less snow because of El Nino.
COLUMBUS (AP) -- The green Christmas could be just the start of a winter with less snow for Ohio and much of the eastern United States, weather officials said.
The region is on track for higher temperatures because of El Nino, a warming of the water in the Pacific Ocean, said John Franks, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Wilmington.
"Typically, [it] brings us warmer and wetter conditions. We definitely have seen the warmer," Franks said. "I think we're on track for normal precipitation. The eastern U.S., we're all in the same boat."
City sidewalks
The warmer ocean water alters the jet stream, which affects storm tracks and temperature, moving it farther north in the eastern part of the country.
In Columbus, just a trace of snow has been recorded, compared to the typical 5 inches in December. The lack of snow has been hard for Mabi Ponce de Leon's 5-year-old daughter, Sophia.
"She's dying to make a snowman," said Ponce de Leon, who lives in suburban Bexley.
Cincinnati also has seen just a trace, compared with its December average of 3.6 inches of snow.
The warmer weather is even taking some of the bite out of the lake-effect snow that typically hits east of Cleveland, said Martin Thompson, a hydrometeorological technician with the National Weather Service in Cleveland.
The wind flow has been more from the west, rather than the northwest winds coming from Canada that trigger the heavier snow, he said.
"We occasionally get touches of cold, but they don't stick around very long," he said.
In Chardon, several miles south of Lake Erie, 31 inches of snow have fallen this year, but the Cleveland suburb had a green Christmas.
"Usually we have an easy 2 feet of snow right now," said Lt. Scott Meyer of the city's fire department.
Damper on business
The warm weather has affected business at Appalachian Outfitters in Canton, which sells snowshoes, winter clothing and other cold-weather gear.
"We've seen definitely a decrease in sales this year," manager Brent Harris said. He said business picked up noticeably during a week in early December when there was snow on the ground, then dropped off when it was gone.
Although the store is selling fewer winter coats, it has sold a few more kayaks than in previous Decembers, he said.
The Web site for the ski resorts of Boston Mills and Brandywine in Peninsula, about 20 miles east of Cleveland, says both are temporarily closed because of the unseasonably warm and rainy weather. A message on their snow information line tells callers that an opening day has yet to be determined.
A temporary skating rink set up on the Statehouse lawn and other rinks around the city provided the only ice in Columbus on Tuesday. "It just doesn't feel like it's ice skating," said Sara Stiffler, 19, visiting from Jackson.
Chris Pokorny of Croton said he hadn't taken much notice of the lack of snow until his 8-year-old son asked before Christmas if no snow meant no Santa.
For winter-weather lovers in central Ohio, the season could disappoint with very little of the white stuff for sledding or even making snow angels. "I can't say what's going to happen a month from now, but we're on track for that," Franks said.