This morning, NOAA released its long-range temperature and precipitation outlook for this winter and the verdict is that we’re on track for a strange season. Basically, El Niño’s gonna El Niño, with a decent chance of the stereotypical wintry disruptions one would expect in the U.S. during one of these events.
Are you ready for winter? There’s a chance of snow in the mountains of Wyoming today, and before you know it, everyone everywhere will start grumbling about the cold. The big question on everyone’s mind is what’s in store for us this winter, and El Niño will likely be a major player in the coming months. Most indications point to the chance that the abnormally warm water in the Pacific will have a significant effect on our weather here in the United States.
This Saturday is the climatological peak of hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean. It’s been a weird year with about seven storms so far, and we still have more than two months until it’s over. The season could have been worse if it weren’t for El Niño conditions out in the Pacific Ocean, which saves the butt of many coastal residents around the Atlantic during this time of the year.
Oh, dear God. Don’t turn around. No, seriously, it’s right behind you. This menacing creature can smell fear and has a thirst for blood. I don’t mean to alarm you, but forecasters predict that a Godzilla El Niño will rise up from the ocean and destroy everything you know and love this winter. Goodbye, friends.
If anyone is eagerly following news of the strengthening El Niño in the Pacific, it’s California. Strong El Niño events have a history of bringing drenching rain to the West Coast during the winter months, and we could see that play out this year. However, don’t get too wrapped-up in the hype—it’s going to take more than one rainy stretch to ease the damage done by the lasting drought.
Hawaii is typically a place people think of with a wistful sigh: tropical beaches, lush greenery, and weather so reliable the forecast hardly budges. The fiftieth state has had a hard time living up to that third point, and the state’s long-lasting drought could return and get worse if El Niño lives up to its bluster.
As temperatures warm up and the school year winds down for kids across the country, people are eager for summer to arrive before spring has a chance to set in. Everyone wants to know what kind of weather we’ll have this summer, but there’s one factor that could have some consequences: El Niño.
While the biggest weather story of the week is undoubtedly the blockbuster snow affecting western New York, there's an equally rare phenomenon occurring on the other side of the country: it's raining in California, and more could come as we head into the winter.
Last week, NOAA announced the issuance of an El Niño watch as they predict about a 50/50 chance of the development of an El Niño later this summer or fall. Increasing sea surface temperatures in the western Pacific Ocean and above-average water temperatures below the surface of the central Pacific are the reasons why experts think that an El Niño could develop within the next six months. Depending on the strength of the possible El Niño, it could have a very real impact on the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season.
