A mild winter has led to 'huge savings' for many and a boost for the US economy

A winter that is both warmer than last year and when compared to long-term average temperatures has resulted in substantial savings for people across the country. 

AccuWeather predicts those savings on home heating costs – for natural gas, heating oil and electricity – should continue into May. That’s based on the exclusive AccuWeather 90-day forecast, which is available at AccuWeather.com (search your city to view the monthly outlook); you can also keep apprised of your forecast on the free AccuWeather app.

“With the price of heating oil down and natural gas at record lows, as well as less demand because of the warm weather – that’s a huge savings for people’s heating costs in the Midwest and the Northeast this year,” said AccuWeather Founder and CEO Dr. Joel N. Myers. “That gives people more money in their pocket and benefits the U.S. economy overall.”

Estimated Heating Cost Changes

AccuWeather predicts residents in the following cities particularly will benefit based on the percentage change in savings from Sept. 1, 2018 to May 11, 2019 compared to Sept. 1, 2019 to May 11, 2020, based on AccuWeather’s 90-day forecast. There are also cost savings when comparing 2019-20 to each city’s long-term average temperatures. (See highlights here and farther below, as well as the 12-city breakdown in the slideshow.) 

Estimated home heating costs on the ⬇️ for the following cities in 2019-20 compared to 2018-19 from 9/1-5/11, based on AccuWeather’s 90-day forecast. All of the percentages for this story assume no change in heating-related costs year-over-year; since most energy prices are lower than last year, most people will experience even greater savings in their heating costs.     

Cincinnati: ⬇️ 12.7 percent
Boston: ⬇️ 11.1 percent
Washington, D.C.: ⬇️ 11.0 percent
New York City: ⬇️ 10.6 percent
Philadelphia: ⬇️ 10.6 percent

It has been a warm winter for much of the East with temperature departures ranging from 4 to 8 degrees Fahrenheit above average. However, there will be a couple of blasts of arctic air across the Plains and Midwest into the East over the next week. This will bring a brief spike in the heating demand. 

Additional bursts of Arctic air can follow through the rest of February.

“Back-and-forth mild and cold weather conditions are likely to continue for the remainder of the month,” AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said.

Phil Taneyhill, center right, and his wife Elisa, center left, both of Boston, sit on a dock in the Charles River Esplanade park, in Boston, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020, while enjoying unseasonably warm weather. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

The heating season runs from Sept. 1 through the following April or May. The actual costs of electricity and fuel vary from year to year and from place to place, so the percentage change in consumers’ bills may vary from these percentages, which assume other heating-related costs are largely unchanged year-over-year.  

Estimated home heating costs on the ⬇️ for the following cities in 2019-20 compared to the long-term average temperatures from 9/1-5/11, based on AccuWeather’s 90-day forecast.

Los Angeles: ⬇️ 26.3 percent
Boston: ⬇️ 10.6 percent
San Francisco: ⬇️ 13.3 percent
Washington, D.C.: ⬇️ 12.9 percent
Philadelphia: ⬇️ 10.0 percent

Several things can be done to keep heating costs in check in times of high demand. A few tips to follow this winter include, most simply, monitoring thermostat settings. Also, homeowners can replace worn weather strips and ensure that heating equipment is well maintained to curb costs. Also, upgrading a home's insulation can lead to significant savings on energy costs.

Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.