El Niño Winter For Puget Sound: Here's What That Means

SEATTLE, WA - The chance of an El Niño winter in Puget Sound is at 70 percent, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. What does that mean for us?

Basically, it's good for outdoor enthusiasts - unless you like outdoor activities that involve snow.

During an El Niño year, sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean are warmer. That warm water influences weather. Winter in the Pacific Northwest during El Niño is typically warmer and drier than normal.

La Niña, of course, is the opposite of El Niño: a colder Pacific Northwest winter with more precipitation. The 2017-2018 winter in the Pacific Northwest was influenced by a weak La Niña, according to NOAA.

In Puget Sound, we'll get El Niño weather in January, February, and March. There's always the potential of a very wet autumn and early winter in Puget Sound - from about October to December - to provide enough precipitation to last through the potentially warmer, drier early 2019 months.

NOAA is predicting a 60 percent chance of an El Niño autumn, a drop from the 65 percent chance seen last week.

During past El Niño winters, the Pacific Northwest has seen temperatures 1 to 2 degrees higher than normal. For the latest on these dueling weather patterns, check out NOAA's ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) website.

Image via NOAA