Certified Professional Astrologer Richard Nolle's 1998 FORECAST HIGHLIGHTS copyright © 1997 by Richard Nolle, all rights reserved Please click here to visit this Astropro sponsor's website!

If you were expecting some kind of sun sign nonsense, forget it. This is real astrology. See the section above. Please note: this forecast is expressed in terms of Universal Time (UT). Current UT date and time are at the end of this paragraph. (To update display, click on your browser's reload/refresh button.)     

A widespread (if not global) recession lasting more than a year, one or two stiff and not quickly forgotten corrections in major equity markets around the world, an outbreak of bovine diseases affecting humans (in some cases perhaps not accidentally), historic low interest rates, and major geophysical ‘shock windows’ (storm and seismic activity clusters) off and on from late February into December: these are some of the prominent features indicated for 1998. Add to these the beginning of a 2+ year period of major challenges for people (e.g. Saddam Hussein, whose chart appears on the Horoscopes By Mail page) and nations (e.g. Israel and Japan) with significant Taurus-Scorpio emphasis, and 1998 promises to make last year look rather dull in comparison.

The news is not all bad of course. In 1997 (as predicted - see the 1997 forecast results), the high technology sectors (of the economy and the equity markets) were stellar performers. In 1998, the bright spots will tend to center around the petroleum, health care, entertainment and pharmaceutical (including genetic engineering) sectors: in comparison to other industries, these fields should fare relatively well. However in the context of economies in recession and markets in retreat around the world for a good part of the year - particularly in the spring and fall - the better than average performance of the indicated sectors is not likely to approach the spectacular heights attained by some of the high-tech companies and industries in 1997.

Geophysical shock windows for the year extend three days either side of major sun-moon alignments, which include solar and lunar eclipses as well as SuperMoons. (A SuperMoon is a new or full moon which occurs when the moon is within 90% or more of its mean perigee, or closest approach to earth. For more, see my table of 20th Century SuperMoon alignments.) Strong storms, flooding, extreme coastal tides and moderate to severe seismic activity (Richter 5 or greater earthquakes and volcanic eruptions) are typical within plus or minus three days of such solunar alignments. I have used such alignments since 1979 - when I predicted Hurricane David’s strike on Savannah in a national magazine published six weeks before the fact using a SuperMoon eclipse to guide me - and they have timed some of the major natural upheavals to strike the world in that time. (As, for example, my prediction of Hurricane Linda by date and target in September 1997 - see the 1997 forecast results.)

Because these alignments are planetary in scale, the geophysical phenomena associated with them can strike virtually anywhere in the world. But clues to areas of special risk can often be discerned from studying maps showing where the planets are most directly focused onto earth; i.e. a map showing where on earth the planets are directly overhead or below, and rising or setting. A map for each of the 1998 alignments may be viewed by clicking on the corresponding links below. Even though reduced for publication here, these maps are about 60kb each in size - bear that in mind when you consider clicking on one of the links. With a 28k modem you’re going to be waiting close to 30 seconds to load each map. (To return to this page after viewing a map, click on your browser’s BACK/RETURN button.)

The geophysical shock windows for 1998 start off with the SuperMoon solar eclipse of February 26 (in effect February 23-March 1), which is especially strong along the western coast of South America northward into Central America and the Caribbean (where the eclipse is exact) and onward through the eastern US; and to a lesser extent in Alaska and the Aleutian Islands as well as along the southwest coast of Africa and across western Europe and the British Isles.

The March 13 lunar eclipse (in effect March 10-16) focuses on Alaska and Hawaii, the western third of South America up into eastern Canada, and on a north-south line from the western tip of Australia northward into China; as well as through central Africa up into the Mediterranean Sea and southern Europe.

The March 28 SuperMoon alignment (in effect March 25-31) seems to aim rather squarely at the US west coast, the eastern quarter of South America, the Middle East, and on a north-south line from the middle and east coast of Australia upward into east Asia and Japan.

The April 26 SuperMoon (in effect April 23-29) on a north-south line from the western quarter of Africa up into Europe and from Southeast Asia into China; in North America, the Mississippi River basin seems to be a focal point, along with the Bering Straits.

The August 8 lunar eclipse is in effect August 5-11. It seems to zero in on the western coast of North America to a large extent, from Mexico north to Washington; but it also points into the four corners area of the Southwestern US (Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Nevada). The Middle East, East Africa and much of Europe also come in for special attention from this eclipse.

August 22 brings a solar eclipse which is also a zodiacal new blue moon; that is, the second of two consecutive new moons to occur in the same sign of the zodiac. In effect August 19-25, this particular alignment also largely focuses on western North America, East Africa and the Middle East, and Europe. To these areas must also be added Indonesia and New Guinea . . . for more on zodiacal new blue moons, see my table of all such alignments in the 20th Century.

A lunar eclipse follows on September 6 (in effect September 3-9). This one is a strong storm warning for the Americas, from the Plains states down through the Gulf of Mexico and Central America into the western coast of South America; and through Southeast Asia into China.

The October 5 SuperMoon alignment (in effect October 2-8) is so scattered as to be very much a global phenomenon. The Pacific Northwest, Middle East, India and Japan are among the few locales to have a confluence suggesting they might be focal points for the ‘geophysical shock window’ in effect at this time.

November 4 brings another SuperMoon, this one in effect November 1-7. The eastern US and the middle of Central America plus China and Indochina are among the focal points for this alignment, which also zeroes in on west Africa and eastern Europe.

Finally there’s the December 3 SuperMoon, in effect November 30-December 6. The Pacific Northwest, Brazil, east Africa and much of central and eastern Europe as well as far eastern China, Japan and Indonesia look like possible target zones for this alignment.

That’s it, that’s a wrap . . . except for one fringe element that I won’t state as a prediction, only as a possibility: a large (car to bus-size) meteor strike may steal headlines in the year ahead. Such events are rare enough that the indications I see of one happening in 1998 are not all that clear. But there are a couple of warning signs. Given the scarcity of data I don’t really see a way to pinpoint this with anything approaching probability, let alone certainty. That said, heads up - possibly in the vicinity of Australia. (I’ll be glad to be proven wrong on this one!)