07/14/09

We've all heard that water temperatures on the surface of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of South America affect our weather here in the United States. When the water's cool it's called a La Nina, which could mean rain and snow in southern Idaho.

Right now weather watchers are seeing the beginning of El Niño conditions – or warmer water temperatures that usually mean lots of precipitation across the southern U.S., and relatively dry conditions here in southern Idaho because the jet stream has been shoved further north.

KMVT Meteorologist Adam Colpack says, “What that means is, when the storm track goes to the north, we tend to miss more of the rain and the snow. And it also tends to be a little bit milder around here during an El Niño winter.”

However, there were winters during the early 1980's when El Niño conditions were very strong, but southern Idaho saw unusually heavy snowfall, which wasn't expected at all. But Colpack says because the variables are so unpredictable, we'll just have to wait and see what this El Niño brings us.