El Nino looking better and better for upcoming winter
Submitted by paula on Thu, 09/10/2015 - 10:16pm
Got your fingers crossed for a wet, white winter ahead?
The chances have just improved even more. Updated federal government forecasts Thursday raised the likelihood to near certainty for an El Nino event noted for bringing stormy winters in the past as witnessed in the historically strong El Nino winters of 1982-83 and 1997-98.
The report released Thursday on the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center web page puts an "approximately 95 percent chance" that the abnormally warm Pacific Ocean waters now in place will continue through the 2015-16 Northern Hemisphere winter and into next spring. That's up from 90 percent in the August report.
Citing wind and water patterns and conditions across the tropical Pacific, the report concludes, "Collectively, these atmospheric and oceanic anomalies reflect a strong El Nino."
For California as well as the Sierra and Western Nevada, it raises hopes for coming relief from the historic ongoing four-year drought as the calendar start to autumn is just two weeks away.
Related Stories
- South Lake Tahoe City Council candidates respond to #IRunWithMaud questions
- Despite snow, Tahoe’s climate still changing
- Firefighters have put a line around 89% of the King Fire
- Is drought over soon? Major El Niño gaining steam
- Drought highlights importance of wildfire preparedness at Lake Tahoe
- City Council candidates respond to 100% Renewable Energy Committee questions
- El Nino making snow now, but climate change 'loads dice' for warmer future winters
- Operation Sierra Storm Brings Leading Scientists and Meteorologists to South Lake Tahoe