Current:Home > MyHow El Nino will affect the US this winter-InfoLens
How El Nino will affect the US this winter
View Date:2024-12-23 15:19:52
Fall may have just begun, but meteorologists are already looking at the upcoming winter season's forecast with the help of El Nino.
El Nino is a warmer than normal surface ocean temperature in the eastern equatorial Pacific, which impacts weather around the world, including the United States.
The warm ocean helps change the Pacific jet stream's position, allowing warmer-than-normal air to move into parts of North America.
Usually, the United States begins to see significant impacts of El Nino in the late fall and early winter and these impacts last into early spring.
MORE: Earth records hottest 3 months on record, greenhouse gases and sea levels hit highs
What is an El Nino winter?
On average, during an El Nino winter, the northern U.S. sees warmer than average temperatures, as the polar jet stream stays north and keeps the cold air in Canada.
Meanwhile, the South is wetter than normal due to the active subtropical jet that is fueled by warm, moist air from the Pacific Ocean.
Additionally, the Ohio Valley and mid-Mississippi River Valley are forecast to stay drier than normal, which could worsen drought in the area.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration updated its winter outlook for the U.S. and it looks very similar to a traditional El Nino winter.
El Nino's 2023 winter forecast for US
Temperatures are forecast to be warmer than normal for all of the northern U.S., from northern California, Oregon and Washington to Pennsylvania, New York and into New England.
NOAA says that temperatures will stay closer to the 30-year average for the South.
MORE: Highest ocean temperatures ever recorded for the month of May, NOAA says
For the precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, etc.), the northern states could see below-normal snowfall, especially in the northern Rockies and the Great Lakes.
Across most of the South, wetter than normal conditions are expected, especially in the Southeast from Louisiana to Florida and into the Carolinas.
For the Northeast, there is a chance that this will be a wetter than normal winter from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia, to New York City and into southern New England.
MORE: 'Above normal' activity predicted for remainder of 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, NOAA says
With warmer-than-normal temperatures forecast for the Northeast, major I-95 corridor cities will see more rain than snow.
With record-warm ocean waters this year around the globe, this could alter El Nino in a way we have not seen before.
One other thing to note, this is all a probability forecast. The atmosphere is very fluid and dynamic, and forecasts could change.
veryGood! (95)
Related
- My Chemical Romance will perform 'The Black Parade' in full during 2025 tour: See dates
- Kim Pegula visits Bills training camp, her first public appearance since cardiac arrest
- Michigan court affirms critical benefits for thousands badly hurt in car wrecks
- West Virginia University President E. Gordon Gee given contract extension
- Wall Street makes wagers on the likely winners and losers in a second Trump term
- Water stuck in your ear? How to get rid of this summer nuisance.
- Judge blocks Arkansas law that would allow librarians to be charged for loaning obscene books to minors
- Gas prices up: Sticker shock hits pump as heat wave, oil prices push cost to 8-month high
- Keke Palmer Says Ryan Murphy “Ripped” Into Her Over Scream Queens Schedule
- Mike Huckabee’s “Kids Guide to the Truth About Climate Change” Shows the Changing Landscape of Climate Denial
Ranking
- Kyle Richards Swears This Holiday Candle Is the Best Scent Ever and She Uses It All Year
- Georgia resident dies from rare brain-eating amoeba, Naegleria fowleri
- Takeaways from AP’s reporting on inconsistencies in RFK Jr.'s record
- What are the healthiest beans? Check out these nutrient-dense options to boost your diet.
- South Carolina lab recaptures 5 more escaped monkeys but 13 are still loose
- 'Big Brother' 2023 premiere: What to know about Season 25 house, start time, where to watch
- Cougar attacks 8-year-old, leading to closures in Washington’s Olympic National Park
- You'll Be Begging for Mercy After Seeing This Sizzling Photo of Shirtless Shawn Mendes
Recommendation
-
Todd Golden to continue as Florida basketball coach despite sexual harassment probe
-
8-year-old survives cougar attack in Washington state national park
-
Folwell lends his governor’s campaign $1 million; Stein, Robinson still on top with money
-
Michigan court affirms critical benefits for thousands badly hurt in car wrecks
-
Mean Girls’ Lacey Chabert Details “Full Circle” Reunion With Lindsay Lohan and Amanda Seyfried
-
Whitney Houston’s estate announces second annual Legacy of Love Gala with BeBe Winans, Kim Burrell
-
New Hampshire nurse, reportedly kidnapped in Haiti, had praised country for its resilience
-
US needs win to ensure Americans avoid elimination in group play for first time in Women’s World Cup