The forecast is in: A super El Niño winter is coming.
NOAA has released a winter outlook predicting a strong El Niño event that will likely bring wetter and milder conditions to the southern United States. While northern regions may see drier weather, the southern tier faces an increased risk of heavy storms.
Why it matters
Understanding climate patterns like El Niño is critical for disaster preparedness and resource management during the winter months.
This winter is set to feature numerous strong storms affecting the West Coast and southern half of the country, according to the official winter outlook released Thursday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The outlook is dominated by the influence of the near-record strong El Niño event. El Niño, which is characterized by above-average ocean temperatures in the tropical Pacific that lead to a domino effect of shifts in weather patterns around the globe, is likely to peak in intensity in December but make its mark throughout the winter months across the Lower 48 states. Given the influence of El Niño this winter, much of the country is expected to be milder and wetter than average, though not necessarily less snowy than is typical, according to NOAA forecasters.
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