“Everybody talks about the weather but nobody does anything about it.” This clever quote is usually attributed to Mark Twain, who also reportedly said, “If you don’t like the weather in New England now, just wait a few minutes.”
We bring this up because lately there has been a lot of discussion—and competing predictions—about what winter may have in store for us this year.
The annual edition of the Old Farmer’s Almanac—224 years old and still going strong—came out in August, with predictions of above-normal snow and below-normal temperatures for New England this winter. Oh no, not again!
This rather chilling prediction caused a heated reaction from many meteorologists, who took to Facebook, Twitter and the blogosphere to protest. One broadcast meteorologist perhaps summed up the consensus best with a Facebook post, arguing that the Old Farmer’s Almanac “forecast has as much accuracy as a Magic 8 ball.” *
In contrast, most meteorologists point to the expected winter impact of El Nino, a cyclical global weather pattern that’s present now. El Nino generally results in a mild winter for the northern U.S. One of the strongest El Nino episodes occurred during the winter of 1997-98. Do you remember how warm that winter turned out to be?
“Expect the unexpected” is always a smart motto when it comes to winter weather. Regardless of El Nino or the Old Farmer’s Almanac, everyone has to be prepared for the worst, whether it’s stocking up on bottled water and batteries, making sure you have enough fuel for your backup generator or getting your heating system tuned up so your furnace or boiler can make it through another winter without breaking down.
Besides taking care of your heating equipment, there are other smart ways to keep your home comfortable and lower your energy costs. Talk with us about popular programs like payment plans, service plans and automatic delivery service.
On our end, we’re always prepared for the worst. For starters, this means we are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. When the weather forecast really looks bad, we have extra technicians, drivers and service representatives available to help handle all emergency calls as soon as possible. And we always have plenty of winter fuel in storage for you.
So as the weather keeps getting cooler, remember that we are here for you, with the resources and experience to look after you—no matter which winter prediction turns out to be true.
*Source; Washington Post, 8/17/15