NOAA declares El Niño, advisory issued
NOAA announced Thursday that oceanic and atmospheric thresholds have been met, El Niño declared.
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- NOAA declared early Thursday morning that El Niño conditions are present and are expected to gradually strengthen later this winter.
All of the deterministic regions of the equatorial Pacific met the +0.5°C threshold for an El Niño to be in play. And in addition to the water requirement, low-level and upper-level winds also showed correlating El Niño conditions.
Forecast: By winter, there is an 84% chance of a moderate El Niño or stronger, and a 56% chance of a strong El Niño developing.
What does El Niño mean for winter?
El Niño conditions typically result in a warmer Pacific Northwest, wetter in the south, southwest and coastal southeast with drier weather in the interior southeast. Cooler weather is also more likely for the south and southeast.
In addition to its mainland impacts, El Niño conditions typically favor fewer developing hurricanes in the Atlantic, but stronger hurricane activity in the Central and Eastern Pacific basin.
Stay with the KXAN Weather team for the latest update.