NOAA scientists today announced the arrival of El Niño, a climate phenomenon with a significant influence on global weather, ocean conditions and marine fisheries. El Niño, the periodic warming of central and eastern tropical Pacific waters, occurs on average every two to five years and typically lasts about 12 months.
Sea surface temperatures along the equatorial Eastern Pacific, as of July 1, are at least one degree above average — a sign of El Niño.
NOAA expects this El Niño to continue developing during the next several months, with further strengthening possible. The event is expected to last through winter 2009-10.
This climate phenomenon has minor impacts on our weather during the summer months, but often has more pronounced effects in the winter. Typically, El Nino translates to a Milder & Drier than normal winter across the southern Great Lakes.
It also has impacts on the Atlantic Hurricane season. Typically, the El Nino phenomena results in below normal or suppressed hurricane activity.
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