With El Niño conditions increasing in the Pacific Ocean, snow-deprived areas in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic could finally see an increase in snowfall this winter.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has released maps revealing which parts of the U.S. have seen the biggest changes in recent years as a result of the natural weather pattern, which has historically resulted in more snow in the East.
This year’s El Niño, the first in four years, developed in the Pacific at the start of hurricane season, Fox News meteorologist Marissa Lautenbacher told The Post.
During an El Niño year, which most affects the climate during winter in the US, the jet stream descends southward and spreads eastward across the continental US.
As a result, temperatures in the Northeast are expected to be slightly warmer than recent winters, but the region will see more coastal storms, offering chances for big snow flurries after several notable dry seasons.
“El Niño years can increase the frequency of coastal storms such as nor’easters,” Lautenbacher explained, with the main concern being coastal erosion.
NOAA map shows historical difference in snowfall during El Niño winters compared to normal winters.Climate.gov
“We may also get heavy snow depending on how cold it is in the northeast,” he said. “We could get a lot of snow depending on where the storm starts on the coast.”
According to Lautenbacher, the southern United States can expect much-needed precipitation and cooler temperatures, while the West Coast, particularly the Pacific Northwest, will be colder and drier.
Snowfall is amplified in years with moderate to strong El Niño winters, as this map shows.Climate.gov
While actual snowfall depends on several factors, NOAA’s new maps offer a look at how each region of the country has been affected during El Niño years.
“El Niño tilts the odds in favor of certain climate outcomes, but never guarantees them,” Michelle L’Heureux, one of the two scientists behind the new maps, said in a blog post.
This map shows how some regions, like the Great Lakes, experience below-average snowfall.Climate.gov
Map shows how snow falls during El Niño winters [Jan. to March] — despite its strength — differs from average, with notable increases in snowfall in the Sierra Nevada mountains and the Southwest, as well as along the East Coast, from North Carolina to New Jersey.
The Great Lakes, known for their winter snowstorms, have historically had less snow during El Niño winters.
Since this year’s El Niño is predicted to be strong, the impact could be more severe, as shown in another map that reveals the amplified effects of moderate to strong El Niño winters.
Overall, the United States is experiencing a downward trend in snowy winters as a result of climate change, NOAA maps show.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn