According to NOAA, we now have a new “El Nino,” the abnormal warming of sea-surface temperatures. We’ve been in a “La Nada,” the in-between warmer El Nino and cooler La Nina, but the recent warming of ocean waters near the International Date Line and along the Equator has promoted NOAA to say that we now have a very weak El Nino event. This is very unusual as we typically see the warming near the West Coast of South America and westward along the Equator. Right now, ocean temperatures in that region are “normal,” which was why we’ve been talking about a “La Nada.”
The Australian scientists do not agree with NOAA as they are showing less confidence that an El Niño event has arrived. However, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology did upgrade their status this from “neutral” to “watch” for this warm water phenomenon, but it’s still two levels down in their alert system from an official declaration of a new El Nino. We would go along with that assessment. Japanese scientists say it’s a “neutral cycle.”
Unfortunately, this new pattern should have little effect on California’s drought situation as the strong ridge of high pressure continues to dominate. The Golden State should receive some much-needed moisture later this month, but it will be the case of “too little, too late.” In fact, it’s very possible that the high pressure ridge will move to the east into the Great Plains later in the spring and summer bringing much hotter and drier weather to that area.
It also appears that water temperatures are cooling off right along the Oregon and Washington coastline. It’s been hurting turtles and sealions to the point that they are being transferred to warmer waters along the California coast.
