Friday, February 15, 2013

What February has in Store for Bucks County



Feel that warmth? Especially in Bucks where the weather can get rough throughout the winter seasons, it's always a relief to feel the thermometer rise after Groundhog's Day, making it feel like spring really is coming sooner rather than later. And after all the recent snowfall, it seems as though it couldn't come cool enough. Don't get too excited, though – while February shouldn't be brutal, it does have some typical Northeast weather in store for us.

If you're in the Northeast you're probably well aware of the storm, Nemo, that hit the area. Some more northern areas, like the northern tip and coast of Jersey, got upwards of ten inches of snow. Luckily, though, Bucks County was a near miss, receiving only a few inches of snow instead of what could have been much worse.

Is this indicative of what lies ahead? Luckily, the temperatures are expected to rise at least some. Precipitation will continue – perhaps to the dismay of Bucks County heating companies - but for the rest of the week, Bucks will see rain instead of snow. 

The rest of the month should be fairly February-standard. There is likely to be heavy rainfall and a few storms in the Northwest, which will probably lead to some snow. It's also anticipated that, despite the recent warmth and mid-40 degree temperatures, another cold front will make its way through the Northeast. You may have been giving your heater a break recently, but don't get too comfortable – colder air is sure to return.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Warm Winter Season Leads to Gas Surplus



If you're in the Philadelphia area you're probably well-aware that the 2012-2013 winter season has been warmer than expected. The region between Minneapolis and Boston, which is the area in the country that uses the most heating resources, has seen temperatures that hovered well above average since the beginning of December. As a result, there's been an overabundance of natural gas, creating a trend of excess that is likely to last well through March.
 
Consequently, Philadelphia heating gas prices have dropped some thirteen percent since mid-November when it last peaked. While it's obviously something most homeowners are benefitting from – both the decreased prices of natural gas, and the lessened need to pump the heat – it could have a detrimental economic effect on the regions heating and cooling industry. Though we're a little more than halfway through the bulk of the heating season, heating companies are crossing their fingers that we get a few more cold stints.

However, it doesn't look like it's in the cards. The third week in January – which is typically the coldest in the year – was just a bit colder than last winter, which was the fourth-warmest on record. In spite of the few spikes of low temperatures, the warm periods have been too warm and too lengthy for the chill to prevail. It's anticipated that there might be a few more cold weeks upcoming like the one Philly experienced during the storm Nemo, but unfortunately, they may not be cold enough to overcome the impact the unseasonable warmth has already had.