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High Country Observer
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National
Weather Service Riverton, WY
Volume 7 Issue
2, December 2003
Page 3 |
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Meteorology
101:
Virga, as used in operational forecasting, is defined as
a streak of precipitation that evaporates
before it reaches the ground. This is not the only meaning of virga
however. VIRGA was first used in aviation forecasting as an acronym
standing for Variable Intensity Rainfall Gradient Aloft. This is an
example of an acronym, that through the course of history, changes
into a definition. |
Figure 2
Climate Prediction Center Winter 03/04 precipitation forecast
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What Can We Expect this
Winter???
By Chad Hahn
Intern
Meteorologist
The
Climate Prediction Center (CPC), located in Camp Springs, Maryland, creates
a three month temperature and precipitation outlook each month. For a period
that spans December through February, figure 1 shows
warmer than normal temperatures are forecast along the West Coast,
Southern Plains, and Midwest. Locally, warm temperatures will nudge into
Northeastern Wyoming, while the rest of the state is expected to stay near
seasonal averages.
Note in figure
2, wetter than normal conditions are forecast to plague the Pacific
Northwest and the Southern Plains, while dry weather will remain anchored in
California, Florida, and Southern Georgia. Here in Wyoming,
precipitation is
forecast to remain near seasonal average.
Figure 1 Climate Prediction
Center Winter 03/04 temperature
forecast.
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