El Niño conditions may be developing in the Pacific

Sign on San Diego ^ | AP

[socal_parrot]

WASHINGTON – Warming water temperatures in the central equatorial Pacific last month may indicate the start of a new El Niño.

El Niño, which can affect weather conditions around the world, is often first seen as increased sea surface temperatures in the Pacific along with changes in wind patterns.

Sea surface temperatures rose nearly 1 degree Fahrenheit above normal in July, with even higher readings to the east, the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center said on Thursday.

The temperature increases, the agency said, "indicate the possible early stages of a warm episode."

The report noted that the normal easterly winds in mid-June through early July weakened in many areas of the equatorial Pacific.

"At this time it is not clear what, if any, impacts this event will have on ocean temperatures in the classical El Niño region along the west coast of South America," the agency said.

El Niños were first observed along the South American coast and named by fishermen noticing a decline in their catch.

As researchers studied the phenomenon, they found that El Niño – which combines changes in temperature, wind and air pressure over the Pacific – can change the flow of the atmosphere. El Niño effects range from drought in Indonesia, Australia and Africa, to storms in California and floods elsewhere.

The 1997 El Niño caused an estimated $20 billion in damage worldwide.

  

On the Net:

Climate Prediction Center: www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/

[ECM]

Oh no, despite the drought, I have no interest in rain--one of the few reasons I still live in SoCal.

[RetiredArmy]

Global warming!!! It's global warming!!!! That's the real reason for it, auto exhausts, oil, fossil fuels burning! Global warming. Run for the hills. Global warming warning!!!

[discostu]

Great I love El Nino. Tucson gets a cool wet summer when we get El Nino, I'm all for it.

[CLRGuy]

El Nino has been a normal part of atmospheric fluctuations for as long as we have records in north america. It has an approximate 14 year period, which means that it's about 7 years on and 7 years off. If you look at any periodic rainfall map in El Nino affected area and plot them on a map, you would quickly see a sinusoidal pattern. Changes between La Nina and El Nino should no longer be news, if it stopped cycling, then we should worry.

[b4its2late]

Good, we could use a mild winter or several in NY too...

[pabianice]

We're doomed! DOOMED!

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Yes, my tomatos are growing slowly in Illinois (suburb of Chicago) this year too due to the cool days. However, I'm NOT complaining whatsoever due to the fact that I've had the air conditioning on for about 2 days through July :-).

It's been QUITE pleasant this year. The cool keeps down the mosquitoes too.

[MamaTexan]

OK, I know this has nothing to do with weather, but my husband has a georgeous Smith & Wesson nickel plated revolver. It was so dang LOUD the first time I heard him fire it, I nicknamed it 'El Nino'. ;)

[socal_parrot]

Thanks for the explanation. I searched for a pic to illustrate the cycle of El Nino and found this...

[LasVegasMac]

End of the six year drought in So Cal?

Calif, Ore, Wash, Nev, Ut, Az, Nm..........

We can use the wet stuff.

LVM

[socal_parrot]

Effects of the El Niño - Southern Oscillation felt world-wide

Not everywhere in a consistent way

But in some places the effects are consistent:

*Drought in northern Australia and the East Indies
*Relatively warm wet conditions in northwestern North America


Red Areas = Warmer during El Niño
Green Areas = Wetter during El Niño
Yellow Areas = Drier during El Niño
 

[Doctor Stochastic]

This is the first I've heard of in several years. NOAA

El Niño Tutorial

[rwfromkansas]

Yeah. lol

I hope they are wrong again, since it means warmer temps and less snow for me in winter (well...sometimes more snow, but it lasts for only a few days even if it is a foot with an El Nino).

[rwfromkansas]

The weather pattern right now, with "blocking" patterns, is essentially the equivalent right now to a horrible winter.

If we had this setup in mid-winter, it would be RECORD-BREAKING cold with snowy conditions.

Now if only this pattern will come in winter instead of summer (though I must admit, it is nice to be in the 80's in July and Auust).

We have only had 4 days above 100.

Now that is my kind of summer.

[abigailsmybaby]

We lived in Missouri during the last El Nino. We had 70 degree days in January.

[rwfromkansas]

Mosquitos are awful here since we have had so much rain....Wichita has 10 inches or so in July alone.

But, the cool weather is nice.

[LTCJ]

For the benefit of those Freepers who don't speak undocumented worker, "El Niño" means "The Niño".

If you can't beat 'em, apply for your very own matrícula consular identification card before they run out!

[socal_parrot]

The link in reply #16 illustrates your point perfectly.

[LTCJ]

LOL. Well, that's what I get for posting before reading the whole page.

[Not A Snowbird]

The year I moved here (Aug. '97) was the last time Cali got hit with this. I had never seen that amount of rain in my entire life

1997 was good, but the one in 1983 was better. MCAS El Toro was nearly cut off northbound; all the roads were under water.