As we continue to bake in 90 degree heat in the waning days of summer, some good news from our friends in the weather dept. With help from that tropical troublemaker- La Nina- forecasters are predicting a colder, wetter winter for the northern portion of the U.S. for 2011-12.
La Nina is a cooling of sea-surface temperatures in the tropical regions of the Pacific. This change in water temperatures in the largest ocean in the world have significant effects- usually cooling – on global weather patterns, especailly when La Nina is strong. El Nino, on the other hand, creates a warming effect.
While the news may be good for us here in the Northwest, it’s pretty bad for drought stricken areas such as Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico, where drought conditions are expected to continue.
So get ready and pray for snow- winter will be here sooner than you think!
For more information check out the NOAA website.
