Lower temperatures coming to Myrtle Beach area. Does that mean it’ll be a cold winter?
You might just want to bust out your jackets this week.
However, if you live in Myrtle Beach you may not need them much this winter.
Beginning Wednesday, the highs for Myrtle Beach won’t eclipse 70 degrees for more than a week. In fact, two days — Thursday (55 degrees) and Friday (59) — are expected to have highs below 60, according to the National Weather Service.
The lows are forecast to be in the mid- to high-40s through Monday before the nighttime temperatures warm up a bit towards midweek.
While it might be a little chilly, we are apparently in for a warm, dry winter.
NOAA winter forecast for the Myrtle Beach area
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently released its U.S. Winter Outlook, which has the South forecast for a warm and dry winter season.
The NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center calls for above-average temperatures throughout the South and through much of the eastern U.S. as La Nina climate conditions are expected for the second winter in a row.
“Using the most up-to-date observing technologies and computer models, our dedicated forecasters at the Climate Prediction Center produce timely and accurate seasonal outlooks to help communities prepare for the months ahead,” said Michael Farrar, Ph.D., director of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction, in the NOAA report.
Much of the Southeast — including all of South Carolina — falls into a category that calls for a 50 to 80 percent chance of temperatures “likely above” average.
“Warmer-than-average conditions are most likely across the Southern tier of the U.S. and much of the Eastern U.S. with the greatest likelihood of above-average temperatures in the Southeast,” the report states.
It’s also expected to be pretty dry. Nearly all of South Carolina — including the northeast portion of the state that includes Myrtle Beach and surrounding areas — falls into the category that calls for a 33 to 40 percent chance of precipitation levels that are “leaning below” average.
“Drier-than-average conditions are favored in south-central Alaska, southern California, the Southwest, and the Southeast,” the report states.
Meanwhile, the Myrtle Beach area falls into a category that calls for “none” as far as drought status.
The NOAA’s U.S. Winter Outlook includes three months, beginning in December and ending in February. The three-month forecast is updated each month and the next is slated to come out Nov. 18.
