UPDATE: Forecaster calls for a cold winter start

State College — AccuWeather.com reported Monday that the series of Pacific storms rolling out of the Northwest continue to open the door, allowing winter to increase its grip on a nation struggling with higher heating costs and shorter supplies of heating fuel. In October, AccuWeather.com Chief Long Range Forecaster Joe Bastardi released the 2008-2009 Winter Forecast that called for an “overall colder and snowier winter” that will be off to a cold start in December. The storms that are moving out of the Pacific Ocean and a major dip in the jet stream this week will bring an even earlier taste of winter to many parts of the country, including the Deep South. Another Pacific system will arrive in the Northwest on Tuesday bringing a new round of flooding rain to western Washington, as well as snow in the higher elevations of the Cascades. According to Expert Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson, “The storm will be a wind producer as it moves from west to east across the country.”