There are no highly accurate guides to winter in August
We like Slate. Their pieces are innovative, their writing is professional, and their staff is talented. The research they conduct is often top-notch, and their social media presence is impressive.
We don’t like the piece they published earlier today. Neither should any meteorologist, professional forecaster, hobbyist, or reader, for that matter. The article, A Very Early Yet Highly Accurate Guide to This Coming Winter is already irresponsible in its title. The piece goes on to elaborate on the fact that, due to the increasing confidence of an El Nino, forecasters can see what’s coming this upcoming winter with high confidence. From California to the Pacific Northwest and Urban Northeast, the article proclaims that the forecast certainty is higher than ever. Not surprisingly, it also calls for snowier than normal conditions here in the Northeast.