Blame El Niño for Recent Storms

Strongest warm-water phenomenon in a decade drenches coasts

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Feb 5, 2010 10:57 AM CST

(Newser) – The strongest El Niño in more than a decade is the culprit behind the wretched weather bombarding much of the country this winter, from the snowstorms that buried the mid-Atlantic states in December to the rains that drenched California last month. “Ocean temperatures are somewhere upwards of two degrees above average,” a meteorologist tells NPR. “So we have had what we would characterize as a strong El Niño.”

It’s the strongest, in fact, since the winter of 1997-98. El Niño years occur when the warmer surface waters of the Pacific move east, altering the flow of two major jet streams. That tends to pull more storms toward California and the Gulf area, while drying out Indonesia—and parts of Indonesia have been plagued with fires recently. Scientists expect this season's El Niño to stick around for another month or two.

High-storm surf pounds the beach in front of an oil rig at Seal Beach, Calif, Jan. 20., 2010. (AP Photo/Nick Ut, File)

Flood waters spread out along the Agua Fria River, Jan. 22, 2010, near Black Canyon City, Ariz, after the biggest storm to hit Arizona in nearly two decades. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

A dusting of snow sits in the Marin Headlands near San Francisco, Jan. 22, 2010. A series of El Nino-driven storms have hammered the region, causing power outages, road closures and some evacuations. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

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Blame El Niño for Recent Storms

Strongest warm-water phenomenon in a decade drenches coasts

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More Newser Stories

Auckland Sees Snow for 1st Time in 80 Years

Other parts of New Zealand also affected for first time in decades

Northeast Braces for Snow —as LA Battles Heat Wave

New England, upstate New York could get a foot

How to Not Kill Yourself While Shoveling Snow

There are some tips, but the bottom line is ... have someone else do it

Woman Freezes to Death in Driveway in Northeast Chill

In parts of New England, it may feel like 50 below

Poland Deep Freeze Kills 30

Meanwhile, worst floods in a century hit Balkans

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Blame El Niño for Recent Storms

Strongest warm-water phenomenon in a decade drenches coasts

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

weather • California • Pacific Ocean • meteorology • El Nino • Gulf of Mexico • winter • snow • winter storms • winter weather • cold weather • mid-Atlantic states

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Auckland Sees Snow for 1st Time in 80 Years

Other parts of New Zealand also affected for first time in decades

Northeast Braces for Snow —as LA Battles Heat Wave

New England, upstate New York could get a foot

How to Not Kill Yourself While Shoveling Snow

There are some tips, but the bottom line is ... have someone else do it

Woman Freezes to Death in Driveway in Northeast Chill

In parts of New England, it may feel like 50 below

Poland Deep Freeze Kills 30

Meanwhile, worst floods in a century hit Balkans

About Us

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Newser By Users

Community

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What is Newser?