What El Niño Means for Fall and Winter Weather in the U.S.
The warmer oceans, coupled with already record warming due to climate change, means that 2027 could shape up to be the warmest year on record. The World Meteorological Organization has also warned that a strong El Niño could raise the risk of extreme weather events going into next year.
Australia, Indonesia, and parts of Southern Africa, including Zambia and Zimbabwe, are likely to see drier than average conditions. Parts of South America, including Ecuador, Peru, and Uruguay, and East African countries will experience more rainfall than usual.
What does El Niño mean for fall and winter weather in the U.S.?
U.S. residents don’t have to sound the alarm over El Niño, says Patrick Rafter, assistant professor in the College of Marine Science at USF. “For the most part, I don’t see a monster El Niño event as anything the continental U.S. has to be overly concerned with.”
Historically, El Niño often brings a warmer than usual winter to the northern U.S., and a wetter, cooler winter in the south, with a higher likelihood for rain and snow. It can also increase the likelihood of tornadoes in areas receiving wetter weather.
