NOAA declares El Nino watch, with large-scale atmospheric and oceanic changes being detected for the next ENSO phase.
El Niño is the cycle's warm phase when ocean temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean rise and there is more precipitation. El Niño causes the Pacific jet stream to move south and spread further east.
What to watch for: El Nino likely to develop this summer https://www.noaa.gov/news/what-to-watch-for-el-nino-likely-to-develop-s…
This world map shows sea surface temperature anomalies during one of the strongest El Nino events on record in 2016. The red areas indicate warmer-than-average ocean temperatures, while blue areas represent cooler-than-average temperatures. (Image credit: NOAA)
NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center has issued an El Nino Watch this morning as part of its April ENSO outlook.
A watch is issued when conditions are favorable for the development of El Nino within the next six months. While we are still in an ENSO-neutral phase – when no El Nino or La Nina is present – there is a 62% chance El Nino will develop sometime between May and July. This comes after nearly two continuous years of a La Nina.