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Findings could help improve long-range winter forecasts
Shifting cycles of warmer and cooler water in the central Pacific influence weather patterns around the world.
By Summit Voice
FRISCO — A new study that sorts El Niño events into two categories could help forecasters develop better long-range forecasts to predict how the periodic warming of equatorial East Pacific waters may affect winter weather.
Part of the data for the research came from an array of buoys across the Pacific called the TAO-Triton array. The buoys observes conditions in the upper ocean to forecast El Niño months in advance, and for monitoring it as it grows and decays.
After analyzing all El Niño events since 1979, the NOAA and University of Washington scientists said the El Niños that show a drop in outgoing long-wave radiation from the tops of deep convective clouds are the ones that tend to play havoc with winter weathers. (more…)
Filed under: climate and weather, Drought, El Niño, seasons | Tagged: El Niño-Southern Oscillation, El Nino, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, University of Washington, winter weather ENSO | 5 Comments »
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