Oceanic

A change in the way the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) calculates population-weighted temperatures (or degree days) for natural gas consumption has given the gas price bears reason to believe U.S. gas prices will fall back to $4/Mcf or lower, but Raymond James analysts counter that demand trends suggest that regardless of the weather, the United States is likely to end next winter at the low end of the historical range for gas storage.

Hurricane experts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said last week that they expect the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season to have above normal levels of activity, which supports an earlier forecast by Dr. William Gray of Colorado State University (see NGI, April 7).

Hurricane experts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said Monday that they expect the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season to have above normal levels of activity, which supports an earlier forecast by Dr. William Gray of Colorado State University (see Daily GPI, April 7).

While the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) continues to see a moderating influence of El Nino producing warmer than normal winter temps across the northern half of the country straight on through March 2003, other forecasters are pointing out that prediction has been wrong so far and will continue to be wrong.

While the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) continues to see a moderating influence of El Nino producing warmer than normal winter temps across the northern half of the country straight on through March 2003, other forecasters are pointing out that prediction has been wrong so far and will continue to be wrong.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) kicked off National Hurricane Awareness Week on Monday predicting the 2002 Atlantic hurricane (June 1-Nov. 30) season will likely have normal to slightly above normal levels of activity with nine to 13 tropical storms, six to eight hurricanes and two to three major hurricanes (category 3 or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale ). NOAA officials warned the public not to become complacent following two seasons in which there were no direct hurricane hits on the United States.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said last week that the little devil El Nino is back, warming up the waters in the equatorial Pacific region and possibly setting the stage for a weaker hurricane season but also an increase in the number of storms next winter along the East Coast.

The recent forecast by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of an El Nino event forming in the equatorial Pacific Ocean has many energy market forecasters scrambling to size up the potential impact. But Weather Services International (WSI) said there is very little chance that El Nino will alter weather patterns this summer. The most likely scenario shows an impact late in the fall and in the winter.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said last week that the little devil El Nino is back, warming up the waters in the equatorial Pacific region and possibly setting the stage for a weaker hurricane season but also an increase in the number of storms next winter along the East Coast.