The ongoing El Nino in the Equatorial Pacific Ocean continues to persist with little change to note during the past month. Many of the long-range climate models are still indicating a weakening trend of this El Nino sometime during the upcoming spring with more of a neutral phase expected by the summer months. As for the March temperature outlook, slightly above average temperatures are forecast throughout portions of the northern Plains, upper Midwest, Great Lakes, Northeast, and Pacific Northwest. Total monthly heating degree days are projected to be lower by between 20 and 60 across these regions. Likewise, energy costs with respect to heating will also be slightly lower than average in these parts of the United States during the month of March. In contrast, parts of the southern Rockies, south Texas, and the western Gulf Coast are predicted to see slightly cooler than normal temperatures, which will result in a surplus of monthly heating degree days by between 20 and 40. Temperatures will average closer to normal across the Mid-Atlantic, Tennessee Valley, Southeast, central Plains, and north-central Rockies during the month of March.
