YORK, Pa. — Although winter has begun, Pennsylvanians may experience a milder season this year, but a warmer winter might not mean a lower heating bill.
“We’ve seen a lot of the predictions from meteorologists and scientists expecting that coming out from the hottest summer on record, we’re likely to have a warmer and milder winter here in Pennsylvania,” said Zachary Barber, a clean air advocate for PennEnvironment.
A warmer winter could be explained due to two main factors.
“On the one hand, we generally have a trend of warming temperatures globally over the last couple decades, and then this year there’s also El Nino which is leading to even higher temperatures,” Barber said.
National Geographic defines El Nino as “a climate pattern that describes the unusual warming of surface waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean.”
The last time Pennsylvania experienced the effects of El Nino was late 2018 through mid-2019.
“It’s definitely a regional concern,” Barber noted.
Despite warm weather predictions, Pennsylvanians may still pay hundreds of dollars on their heating bill.
A report published by This Old House, ranked Pennsylvania as 15th in overall states with the most expensive winter, with people paying an average of $968 to heat their home with natural gas in the 2022-2023 season.
People can spend less on their heating with a few energy consumption tips.
“There are a few simple steps that, if we take the time to plan out ahead of time, can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, which are not only contributing to pollution but the problem of climate change that is leading to the destabilized climate in the first place,” Barber said.
One step could be lowering your thermostat when you leave home and turning it back up when you return.
You can also weatherproof your home to trap in heat and keep out cold air.
Read the full report from This Old House here. Check out FOX43's special on how to best prepare your home for the weather below:
