El Niño and La Niña are weather patterns occurring over the large Pacific Ocean that bring big changes around the world. These patterns may be present, or not, at any time of the year, but depending on the season, some regions could be threatened by worse weather.
EL NIÑO
El Niño Southern Oscillation Sea surface temperatures remain warmer than average over the eastern Pacific, specifically near the coast of Peru. If El Niño is occurring during the summer months, or hurricane season, generally there is stronger wind shear over the Atlantic, which limits hurricane formation.
If there is an El Niño phase during the winter months, the jetstream is displaced a bit more south, causing the development of more thunderstorms across the southern half of the U.S., and cooler than average temperatures. The last El Niño phase occurred in the winter of 2015-2016. Florida had over two dozen tornadoes in January and February 2016, combined.
The opposite is true for La Niña.
The opposite is true for La Niña.
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LA NIÑA
During a La Niña, water temperature tends to be cooler than average over the eastern Pacific, and it contributes to more favorable conditions over the Atlantic for tropical development, by relaxing the winds aloft.
If La Niña is present during the winter months, the Jetstream tends to retract a bit more north, allowing the shower and thunderstorm activity to be focused over the northern half of the United States. In this case, the southern half remains drier and warmer. This pattern was present during the winter of 2016-2017. People in Central Florida likely remember that the December holidays were warmer than usual. For example, on Jan. 22, 2017, the high was of 86 degrees F. The lowest low temperature that same month was 36 degrees F. In February 2017, the highest maximum temperature was 87 degrees F and the coldest low was 43 degrees F.
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To put that in context, the average high temperature for February in Orlando is 72.9 degrees F, and the average low is 52.1 degrees F. February 2017's average high temperature was 80.9 degrees F and the average low was 56 degrees F. That's 8 degrees above average for the high and 3.9 degrees above average for the low.
Late January and February tend to be the coolest months.
Late January and February tend to be the coolest months.
Having La Niña does not mean we will not receive cold snaps. They could arrive in Central Florida, prompting everyone to break out the boots and scarfs and start drinking hot cocoa, but they will be less frequent and perhaps less intense. After the season is done, we will look back and notice the overall trend was warmer than average.
WILFIRES
Florida's wildfire season goes year-round, but it peaks in the spring and early summer months. Having drier and warmer temperatures can spark more wildfires in the winter. Just in the first two months of 2017, wildfires burned over 21,000 acres.
Florida's wildfire season goes year-round, but it peaks in the spring and early summer months. Having drier and warmer temperatures can spark more wildfires in the winter. Just in the first two months of 2017, wildfires burned over 21,000 acres.
Florida - We approach the peak of wildfire season, this is the time to get ready.
Posted by Irene Sans on Tuesday, March 7, 2017
El fenómeno de La Niña probablemente estará presente este invierno de nuevo.
Nuestra meteoróloga certificada Irene Sans nos explica.
Hay probabilidad de que el fenómeno de La Niña esté presente este invierno... otra vez.
Posted by Irene Sans on Wednesday, October 18, 2017
La Niña is here! But wait.. What is that? What does it mean for the U.S?
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