donsutherland1

3"-6" seems realistic for Orange County (as for my sister in Milford, PA). This should be a nice event to get the winter season started.

Implicit subsidies are based on imperfect estimates. But they recognize that there are real costs. Those costs are substantial even if they are estimates. One need not agree on the exact figure ($7.1 trillion) to recognize that they are very large. A framework that assumes that such costs don't exist is wholly unrealistic. Also, the IMF's working papers are not scientific in nature. They are estimates for policy makers. Finally, I recognize that there have been subsidies for renewable energy e.g., as one witnessed with the Inflation Reduction Act. An "infant industry" argument can be made. Energy has been a highly subsidized field. One finds a range of tax deductions, credits, and subsidies i.e., a deduction for intangible drilling costs, depletion allowances, accelerated depreciation for oil and gas infrastructure, etc. Unlike some of the renewable technologies, the fossil fuel industry is anything but an infant industry.

Without doubt, fossil fuel interests and their allies reject the concept of implicit subsidies. Even as implicit subsidies are estimates, they are premised on the reality that that the burning of fossil fuels leads to an increase in particulate matter, dumps greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, and drives changes in climate that have significant societal costs and even larger long-term costs associated with lost economic output, human health, climate change-enhanced disasters, etc. The question isn't whether such costs exist. They do. It isn't whether they are significant. They are. The only meaningful question concerns the exact magnitude of such costs. Estimating implicit subsidies is a far more realistic practice than relying exclusively on an explicit subsidies-only framework. An explicit subsidies-only framework rests on the fatally-flawed assumption that there are no costs from the burning of fossil fuels beyond those captured in explicit subsidies. Implicit subsidies provide a fuller and much more realistic picture. It's obviously a picture the fossil fuel interests seek to mask, much as the tobacco interests had done in the face of rising lung cancer cases and other smoking-related conditions decades earlier. It is also no less unethical than the deceptive practices deployed by the embattled tobacco industry at that time. Fossil fuel interests, who are largely responsible for the problem of anthropogenic climate change, want to dictate the rules by which society views energy in general and costs of energy in particular. They don't want society to accept that there are better, cleaner, less costly alternatives for a growing share of energy needs. The International Monetary Fund chooses to provide a fuller picture. It isn't perfect, but it is far more complete than one the fossil fuel interests seek to paint.The IMF's framework is far more accurate than any simplistic framework that treats the implicit subsidies associated with the burning of fossil fuels as $0.

A cooler than normal November is concluding. New York City is finishing with a monthly mean temperature of 47.2°, which is 0.8° below normal (0.5° below the older 1981-2010 baseline). A cold front will bring showers tonight into early tomorrow. Afterward, a prolonged stretch of below normal temperatures will likely continue into or through the second week of December. December 1-10 will be a solidly colder than normal period. The potential exists for the coldest first days of December since at least 2010 (34.6°, 6th coldest December 1-10 since 2000). The five coldest December 1-10 periods since 2000 were: 1. 30.6°, 2002 2. 32.2°, 2003 3. 32.4°, 2000 4. 33.1°, 2005 5. 33.4°, 2007 All 5 of these cases had measurable snowfall in Central Park. A storm will affect the region on Tuesday into Wednesday, bringing 0.50"-1.50" precipitation to the region. There is a distinct possibility that New York City could see its first measurable snowfall of the season, even as the storm will be mainly a rain event. Interior sections have the highest probability of seeing accumulations of snow. The coldest air mass so far this season could move into the region late in the week. The temperature will likely tumble into the 20s Thursday night into Friday in New York City. Another system could bring some light precipitation to the region during the weekend. The ENSO Region 1+2 anomaly was -0.7°C and the Region 3.4 anomaly was -0.7°C for the week centered around November 12. For the past six weeks, the ENSO Region 1+2 anomaly has averaged -0.16°C and the ENSO Region 3.4 anomaly has averaged -0.65°C. La Niña conditions will likely continue through at least mid-winter. The SOI was -2.04 today. The preliminary Arctic Oscillation (AO) was -0.064 today.

TEMP _________DCA _ NYC _ BOS __ ORD _ ATL _ IAH __ DEN _ PHX _ SEA -1.0 -2.0 -2.0 -3.3 2.5 1.6 1.4 1.1 0.1 SNOW _______ DCA _ NYC _ BOS ___ ORD ____DTW ___ BUF __ DEN _ SEA _ BTV 10.0" 20.0" 40.0" 37.5" 45.0" 92.0" 40.0" 6.5" 80.0"

For perspective, no industry comes close to the explicit and implicit subsidies received by the fossil fuel industry. From the IMF:

Some December Snowfall Statistics: For Philadelphia, the December date(s) with the highest frequency of each snowfall threshold is: Measurable snowfall: December 14 and December 29: 15 occurrences 1.0" or more snow: December 5 and December 26: 10 occurrences 6.0" or more snow: December 19 and December 26: 3 occurrences 10.0" or more snow: December 26: 2 occurrences

The 11/30 0z and 6z GEFS has returned to a warmer outlook for much of North America after December 10th. It offers a credible alternative scenario. I'm still going with the EPS/ECMWF weeklies, as the GEFS has shown inconsistency. Moreover, the size of the rebound in temperatures (December 11-20 vs. December 1-10) would be both extreme and rare. Nevertheless, a look at the alternative scenario is still in order as a muted variation is plausible. The GEFS's development of a fairly strong PNA- is the key variable differentiating it from the colder baseline idea shown on the EPS. The latest two cycles of the GEFS show the development of a WPO-/EPO+/AO-/PNA- pattern. The GEFS maps are consistent with the largest cluster for the December 5-15 period (39%) of cases. WPO-/EPO+/AO-/PNA- Maps (Largest December 5-15 cluster): 500 mb Height Anomalies: Temperature Anomalies: GEFS (11/30 6z cycle): Days 11-15: 500 mb Height Anomalies (5-day average): Temperature anomalies (5-day average):

Central Park's frequency of measurable snowfall in December and record daily snowfall. December 26 is New York City's snowiest December date. Frequency of select daily snowfall amounts (1869-2024): Measurable snowfall: 22 times 1" or more: 16 times 6" or more: 5 times 10" or more: 5 times

From Iowa:

So far, 5"-7" of snow has fallen in the greater Chicago area. Daily snowfall records for November 29th have fallen in both Rockford and Chicago. The snowstorm will continue to blanket parts of the Great Lakes Region tonight into early tomorrow. Chicago and Milwaukee will likey see 6"-12" of snow. Some locally higher amounts are possible. Detroit could pick up 4"-8". Toronto could see 3"-6". In the New York City area, tomorrow and Monday will be somewhat milder. Showers are possible on Monday as a cold front moves across the region. Generally colder than normal conditions could then continue into or through the second week of December. Severe cold appears unlikely through at least the first 10 days of December. Nevertheless, December 1-10 will be a solidly colder than normal period. Moreover, a storm could affect the region on Tuesday into Wednesday, bringing 0.50"-1.50" precipitation to the region. There is a distinct possibility that New York City could see its first measurable snowfall of the season. Interior sections have the highest probability of seeing accumulations of snow. The ENSO Region 1+2 anomaly was -0.7°C and the Region 3.4 anomaly was -0.7°C for the week centered around November 12. For the past six weeks, the ENSO Region 1+2 anomaly has averaged -0.16°C and the ENSO Region 3.4 anomaly has averaged -0.65°C. La Niña conditions will likely continue through at least mid-winter. The SOI was -3.95 today. The preliminary Arctic Oscillation (AO) was -0.264 today. Based on sensitivity analysis applied to the latest guidance, there is an implied near 100% probability that New York City will have a cooler than normal November (1991-2020 normal). November will likely finish with a mean temperature near 47.2° (0.8° below normal). Supplemental Information: The projected mean would be 0.5° below the 1981-2010 normal monthly value.

As of 1 pm CST, Chicago (3.2") and Rockford (3.2") had set new daily snowfall records for November 29. Chicago's old mark of 3.0" was set in 1942. Rockford's old record of 3.0" was set in 1925. Upstream, parts of Iowa had seen 12" of snow.

I'm in briefly. I checked. Here are the December composites (1980-2024) for EPO+/PNA+/AO-/NAO- 500 mb Height Anomalies: Temperature Anomalies: Precipitation Rate: n=121 dates I suspect that there's a lot of variability, though.

I will check when I get home this evening.

As of 7 am, Chicago had picked up 0.5" of snow. Rockford had received 1.0". The highest amounts were at Chatsworth (3.0") and Melvin (2.0").

Parts of the region saw some heavier snow showers yesterday. Binghamton wound up picking up 1.6". Even heavier snow fell in some of the lake effect areas. Syracuse picked up 10.3" of snow, breaking the daily record of 8.8" from 1958.

The snow is sticking in Chicago. Courtesy of EarthCam:

Central Park has recorded its first freeze of the 2025-2026 season. The 1991-2020 normal first date is November 21. The 1961-1990 baseline was November 11. Last winter's first freeze occurred on November 30.

Tomorrow will be unseasonably cold. There is potential for New York City's Central Park to experience its first freeze of 2025 tomorrow morning. The 1991-2020 normal first date is November 21. The 1961-1990 baseline was November 11. Last winter's first freeze occurred on November 30. Saturday and Sunday will see a snowstorm blanket parts of the Great Lakes Region. Chicago and Milwaukee could see 6"-12" of snow. Detroit could pick up 4"-8". Toronto could see 3"-6". Sunday and Monday will be somewhat milder. Showers are possible on Monday as a cold front moves across the region. Generally colder than normal conditions could then continue into or through the second week of December. Severe cold appears unlikely through at least the first 10 days of December. Nevertheless, December 1-10 will be a solidly colder than normal period. Moreover, a storm could affect the region on Tuesday into Wednesday, bringing 0.50"-1.50" precipitation to the region. There is a distinct possibility that New York City could see its first measurable snowfall of the season. Interior sections have the highest probability of seeing accumulations of snow. The ENSO Region 1+2 anomaly was -0.7°C and the Region 3.4 anomaly was -0.7°C for the week centered around November 12. For the past six weeks, the ENSO Region 1+2 anomaly has averaged -0.16°C and the ENSO Region 3.4 anomaly has averaged -0.65°C. La Niña conditions will likely continue through at least mid-winter. The SOI was -3.12 today. The preliminary Arctic Oscillation (AO) was +0.081 today. Based on sensitivity analysis applied to the latest guidance, there is an implied 99% probability that New York City will have a cooler than normal November (1991-2020 normal). November will likely finish with a mean temperature near 47.2° (0.8° below normal). Supplemental Information: The projected mean would be 0.5° below the 1981-2010 normal monthly value.

There was a heavier snow shower in the Harriman, NY area this afternoon.

The latest HREF output:

2009-10 was a strong El Niño. 2010-11 was a strong La Niña.

Yesterday, I noted that the GEFS was trying to push an EPO+, but its forecast 500 mb pattern was profoundly different from any of the December WPO-/EPO+/AO-/PNA- clusters. That suggested that either the teleconnection idea was off or the pattern was off, rather than some novel outcome. Overnight and through today's 6z cycle, the GEFS has continued to evolve. It has added a WPO+ to its EPO+ idea and restored its earlier idea of a AO+. It has now joined the Canadian ensembles that keep the MJO out of Phase 8 through its forecast horizon. In short, its previously significant areas of "disconnect" have disappeared overnight. Its forecast pattern is now more consistent with what one would expect. For now, the GEFS is trying to build a credible milder alternative scenario for the pattern/temperature evolution in North America toward mid-December. The EPS has not shifted toward that emerging GEFS idea. Therefore, the baseline idea remains that the northern tier of the U.S. and most of Canada should remain cold toward and probably beyond mid-December. The Southeast could still turn warm despite some shots of colder air. Mid-December and beyond is still in the low-skill distant realm. The big story through the weekend will be the significant snowstorm that will affect parts of the Midwest and Great Lakes Region. As a result, Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, and Toronto remain on track to experience their snowiest fall in five or more years. As an appetizer, Detroit added 0.1" snowfall yesterday and Toronto picked up 1.2 cm (0.5") yesterday.

Tomorrow and Saturday will be unseasonably cold days. Tomorrow will be windy with a possibility of some snow flurries. There is potential for New York City's Central Park to experience its first freeze of 2025 tomorrow or, more likely, Saturday morning. The 1991-2020 normal first date is November 21. The 1961-1990 baseline was November 11. Last winter's first freeze occurred on November 30. Saturday and Sunday will see a snowstorm blanket parts of the Great Lakes Region. Chicago and Milwaukee could see 6"-12" of snow. Detroit could pick up 4"-8". Toronto could see 3"-6". Sunday and Monday will turn somewhat milder. Showers are possible on Monday as a cold front moves across the region. Generally colder than normal conditions could then continue into or through the second week of December. Severe cold appears unlikely through at least the first 10 days of December. Moreover, a storm could affect the region on Tuesday into Wednesday, bringing 0.50"-1.50" precipitation to the region. There is a distinct possibility that New York City could see its first measurable snowfall of the season. Interior sections have the highest probability of seeing accumulations of snow. The ENSO Region 1+2 anomaly was -0.7°C and the Region 3.4 anomaly was -0.7°C for the week centered around November 12. For the past six weeks, the ENSO Region 1+2 anomaly has averaged -0.16°C and the ENSO Region 3.4 anomaly has averaged -0.65°C. La Niña conditions will likely continue through at least mid-winter. The SOI was +1.97 today. The preliminary Arctic Oscillation (AO) was +0.036 today. Based on sensitivity analysis applied to the latest guidance, there is an implied 96% probability that New York City will have a cooler than normal November (1991-2020 normal). November will likely finish with a mean temperature near 47.1° (0.9° below normal). Supplemental Information: The projected mean would be 0.6° below the 1981-2010 normal monthly value.

For reference: The 33.5 cm snowfall at Toronto on November 30, 1940 is the biggest daily snowfall on record for November. The 10.0" for Milwaukee on November 30, 1940 is the second biggest daily snowfall on record for November.