In the News
'Monster' El Nino a chance later this year, pointing to extended dry times
Relief for Australia's drought-hit regions could be a long way off, with climate influences in the Pacific and Indian oceans tilting towards drier conditions and a "monster" El Nino a possibility by year's end. Mike McPhaden is featured.
El Nino nearly a sure bet now for the Northwest
Odds are increasing that an El Nino will form, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported Thursday, bolstering earlier forecasts that winter will be mild in the Northwest. Nick Bond is quoted.
The Pacific Northwest Might Experience a Warmer Than Average Winter, New Forecast Says
Portland experienced record-breaking heat this summer, and it looks like winter could be unusually warm as well. A new winter weather forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows that an El Niño—or a warming of sea-surface temperatures—is likely to develop on the Pacific Ocean in the coming months. An El Niño, Oregon Public Broadcasting first reported, could make for a warmer, drier Pacific Northwest winter. Nick Bond is interviewed.
Long-range forecast predicts mild winter for Pacific Northwest
If the long-range forecast from the National Weather Service is right, we have a mild winter ahead of us. The primary driver for the winter outlook is the emergence of El Nino. That's a warming of the equatorial Pacific Ocean that tends to bring mild winters to the Pacific Northwest. Nick Bond is featured.
Ocean temperatures rise, boosting odds of El Nino ahead
Pacific Ocean temperatures are rising along the equator, a signal that winter likely will be warmer than normal in the Northwest. Federal climatologists peg the odds that an El Nino will form in the next couple of months at 70 to 75 percent, a 5 percent increase since mid-September. The warm ocean should influence late winter weather, but El Ninos historically have had little effect on snow accumulation in Washington before Jan. 1, State Climatologist Nick Bond said Monday. Nick Bond is quoted.