Early December 2024 was remarkably cold in the East U.S. The unexpected chill is due to an unusual weather pattern featuring highly amplified trough and ridge features from Northeast Asia to the East Coast of North America while most of Eurasia has a somewhat benign pattern. The leading climate diagnostic supporting the East U.S. chill is a streak of mid-latitude stratospheric warming.

November 2024 soil moisture analysis reveals limited drought areas mostly attached to the south and southeast coast. Wet soils dominate the western half of Australia adding parts of the North Coast and either side of the coastal Queensland/New South Wales border.

The NOAA observed U.S. gas population weight HDD for NOV-24 was 466. The value is somewhat warmer than the 2000-24 normal and the 10-year normal. NOV-24 ranked tied for 3rd warmest since 2000. The warmest November this century was in 2001 (421 HDD). Going forward, the U.S. gas population weight HDD is near or slightly colder than the 2000-24 normal.

The U.S. gas population weight HDD forecast shifts warmer to the 10-year normal next week and warmer than the 10-year normal for mid-December. Consensus of the CFS V2 and ECM indicates HDD recovery to normal national heating demand by January 1st. The January 3-9 HDD forecast stays interesting as ECM maintains normal demand and CFS V2 is cold again.