Nature & Environment
El Niño Finally Arrives! But It May be Too Little Too Late for California's Drought
Catherine Griffin
First Posted: Mar 06, 2015 11:03 AM EST
El Niño has finally arrived. The long-awaited weather system has the potential to change patterns across the globe, bringing rain to drought-stricken areas. However, it may be too little too late; NOAA forecasters have announced that the ocean-atmospheric phenomenon is likely to stay weak.
El Niño causes warm-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central Pacific Ocean near the equator. This, in turn, can impact weather patterns across the globe.
This year, though, El Niño is relatively weak in strength. This means that widespread or significant global weather pattern impacts are not anticipated. However, certain impacts often associated with El Niño should arrive this spring in parts of the northern hemisphere. This includes wetter-than-normal conditions along the U.S. Gulf Coast.
"Based on the persistent observations of above-average sea surface temperatures across the western and central equatorial Pacific Ocean and consistent pattern of sea level pressure, we can now say that El Niño is here," said Mike Halpert, deputy director of NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, in a news release. "Many climate prediction models show this weak El Niño continuing into summer."
Currently, there's a 50 to 60 percent chance that conditions will continue through the summer. However, only time will tell. The last El Niño actually occurred from 2009 to 2010, and was a moderate to strong event. While strong El Niños can provide heavy rainfall in the West, it's likely this year's is too weak.
"This El Niño is likely too late and too weak to provide much relief for drought-stricken California," said Halpert.
For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).
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First Posted: Mar 06, 2015 11:03 AM EST
El Niño has finally arrived. The long-awaited weather system has the potential to change patterns across the globe, bringing rain to drought-stricken areas. However, it may be too little too late; NOAA forecasters have announced that the ocean-atmospheric phenomenon is likely to stay weak.
El Niño causes warm-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central Pacific Ocean near the equator. This, in turn, can impact weather patterns across the globe.
This year, though, El Niño is relatively weak in strength. This means that widespread or significant global weather pattern impacts are not anticipated. However, certain impacts often associated with El Niño should arrive this spring in parts of the northern hemisphere. This includes wetter-than-normal conditions along the U.S. Gulf Coast.
"Based on the persistent observations of above-average sea surface temperatures across the western and central equatorial Pacific Ocean and consistent pattern of sea level pressure, we can now say that El Niño is here," said Mike Halpert, deputy director of NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, in a news release. "Many climate prediction models show this weak El Niño continuing into summer."
Currently, there's a 50 to 60 percent chance that conditions will continue through the summer. However, only time will tell. The last El Niño actually occurred from 2009 to 2010, and was a moderate to strong event. While strong El Niños can provide heavy rainfall in the West, it's likely this year's is too weak.
"This El Niño is likely too late and too weak to provide much relief for drought-stricken California," said Halpert.
For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone