The U.S. gas population weight HDD forecast for the 2026-27 cold season compared to the last 2 winter seasons and 10-year normal is warm! Only NOV-25 and JAN-24 stand out warmer than the 2026-27 forecast. There are no months during NOV-26 to MAR-27 when U.S. gas population weight HDD are not warmer than the 10-year normal. Historically, for this century, the 2026-27 forecast is consistently warmer than normal but somewhat equidistant between the cold and warm extremes although the DEC-26 projection is close to the warm extreme.

Prohibitive West/South U.S. storm tack ahead with NOAA/CPC highlighting risks for Halloween to November 4th. The pattern will become persistent as the Super El Nino winter climate unfolds.

Snow cover is advancing, providing cold bias, and allowing arctic air to gather during the last third of October. Snow cover advance is notable in Quebec and Northeast/Interior East Asia. Above normal snow cover in these regions has increased significantly during recent days.

The NOAA/CPC Seasonal Drought Outlook indicates strengthening drought Interior Northwest while the 2026 severe drought extending from the Great Basin and Southwest U.S. to the Mid-south and Southeast States is (mostly) erased.