AI Generated Image
Powerful El Niño puts California in bull’s-eye for rain, models show
San Francisco Chronicle • • world
Key Points:
- The European Center for Medium-Range Forecasts predicts a greater than 90% chance of above-normal precipitation along the California coast from December through February, with potential rainfall 40% to 70% above average.
- Similar wet weather forecasts come from U.S. NOAA and Environment Canada models, showing strong agreement on a wetter-than-normal winter for California, Florida, and the Mid-Atlantic regions.
- Current El Niño conditions feature record-warm sea surface temperatures in the eastern tropical Pacific, which historically correlate with increased precipitation in California during winter.
- The warmer tropical Pacific waters are expected to drive more frequent and stronger Pacific storms, potentially raising coastal water levels by up to a foot and increasing the risk of flooding during king tides.
- Officials and climate experts urge preparation for El Niño impacts, emphasizing that this event occurs amid unprecedented ocean heat and global warming, which may influence the severity and nature of weather patterns this winter.
