Storms start to move out of Minnesota, continue for western Wisconsin

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El Niño is part of a naturally occurring cycle of temperature fluctuations in the Pacific Ocean. 

El Niño occurs when the water is warmer than average, and La Niña occurs when the water is cooler than average. El Niño happens every two to seven years.

The phenomenon was first noticed by South American fishermen in the 1600s. Since it tended to happen around Christmas, they named it El Niño, a Spanish reference to the Christ child. 


It affects weather in different parts of the United States 

. Southern California, the Southwest and the Gulf Coast can expect a wetter winter, for example, while the Northwest and Upper Midwest will see a warmer winter. 

Find out more about how meteorologists predict the weather from our science podcast, Brains On!

How do meteorologists predict the weather? by Brains On!

Why does warmer ocean water have such a significant impact?


The moisture put into the atmosphere by the abnormally warm ocean changes the path of the jet stream. "Think of the jet stream as the railroad tracks along which storms ride," explained weather forecaster Fritz Coleman. This shift causes some areas to have more storms and others to have fewer, as well as temperature changes.

, so its effects will be more strongly felt. The last time El Niño was this strong was during 

, when there was flooding in California and the Southeast, tornadoes in Florida and an ice storm in the Northeast.

Molly Bloom

Author

What causes an El Nino winter? And how does this year's strong El Nino compare to others?

What does El Nino mean for winter weather?

Go Deeper.

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