Severe Weather Patterns Will Cause a Wetter Winter Than Usual

California is expected to get more rain this winter than in prior years. In return, the Northern U.S. should expect less rain than usual, which isn’t panning out too well. The NOAA predicts “wetter-than-average conditions for northern Alaska, portions of the West, the southern Plains, [and] Southeast” (NOAA). This abnormal weather is caused by phenomena called El Niño and La Niña. This year, we will be treated to the first El Niño in four years, which will cause increased rain. 

La Niña and El Niño are two weather patterns that shape our winters. These two weather patterns change the ocean currents and jet streams. This circulates water in the Pacific Ocean, changing the climate as it moves. 

El Niños influence the temperature of oceans around the globe, affecting our weather. Trade winds push the warm surface water from east to west toward Asia. Some years, they weaken so that warm water can remain during the wintertime around North America. We can see its counterpart, La Niña, when the trade winds calm down, allowing warm water build-up. This causes a southward shift in the jet stream, which causes flooding in the southern United States. At this time, we can expect warmer, drier conditions over the Pacific Northwest. When those trade winds pick back up after a La Niña, they are abnormally strong, and we get to see an El Niño. This blows the warm surface water back toward Asia and allows a gathering of cool water in the eastern Pacific. 

As the world tries to grasp climate change and its effects, more and more extreme weather events will continue to rise worldwide. Last year in California, we got hit with record rain and snow, which brought us out of a historic drought. This year, with the help of an El Niño, we hope to receive an abundance of rain and a solid snowpack to mitigate the effects of our dry season, so we can combat the fire season creeping upon us. 

Sources 

header image source

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/ninonina.html

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/tradewinds.html

https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/4315433-el-nino-wet-winter-california-next-month/

https://www.weather.gov/tae/enso

https://www.pmel.noaa.gov/elnino/lanina-faq

https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/us-winter-outlook-wetter-south-warmer-north

https://www.weather.gov/media/ajk/brochures/ENSOFactSheetWinter1617.pdf