Stamford Residents Anticipate "Warm Winter"

With snowfall in eastern states such as Connecticut, Maryland, and New York sparse this year in comparison to 2011, Stamford residents and weather experts alike are wondering why that's the case.

"It's been a warm winter...I do believe there is a climate change, and we should be addressing that," Stamford resident Alice Fortunato said. At the same time, Fortunato stated that she was not informed enough about the specifics of climate change to say for sure if the region's recent weather is climate-change related.

"For February, for temperatures, they're looking at above-average temperatures...we have an equal chance of getting above-average or below-average precipitation amounts in February," National Weather Service meteorologist Lauren Nash said.

This year is already far different from last year, according to city operations director Ernie Orgera, who remembers the Jan. 27 blizzard.

"Last year, we had a storm every week. A major storm. So, we were out there for days, cleaning up after the storm," Orgera said.

Meanwhile, some Stamford residents, especially those from North Stamford, suggest that while this year's warm winter is surprising, it's welcome. During Nor'easter and Hurricane Irene, many North Stamford residents lost well-water access, electricity, or both.

"When you get old, you don't want to brave the elements," North Stamford resident Carmine Vacarro said. "With eight days left in January, and we've only had this one snowfall. That's pretty good."

Neither Vacarro, Nash, or Fortunato could provide an absolute explanation as to why the weather was different this year, although Nash could provide her expert opinion on recent weather.

"That's just due to the overall patterns that are happening not only here, but across the entire United States. There's really not much else we can say besides that the jetstream is further north, and that's keeping warmer temperatures in our area, which is contributing to rain events, but not snow events," Nash said. "

"I don't know what they really mean by global warming, but I don't think that the weather is different because of it," Vacarro said.

For their part, most Stamford residents would rather enjoy this year's change of pattern than question it.

"I'd like the weather to stay mild...I like the roads to be dry," Vacarro said.