Blame El Niño and La Niña for the Extreme Weather Outbreaks
Since late April, the U.S. has been hit by numerous tornado outbreaks and planting delays due to extreme weather, a result of the rapid transition from El Niño to La Niña.
The National Weather Service (NWS) Climate Prediction Center (CPC) predicts that El Niño will transition to the neutral state of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) next month. According to NWS forecasters, there is a 49% chance that La Niña will develop between June and August, and a 69% chance it will occur between July and September.
This transition is contributing to the recent surge in severe weather, including tornado outbreaks across the U.S.
“We saw approximately 380 tornadoes in the U.S. during the month of April. If you look at all the years back to 1950, all the April’s, this will rank as the number two all-time. The only year we saw more U.S. tornadoes was the historic April 2011,” says Brad Rippey, USDA Meteorologist.
Three main factors are driving this extreme weather pattern. First, there is a contrast between cold air from Canada and warm, humid air from the Gulf and Atlantic, creating a strong temperature gradient across the country. Second, the transition from El Niño to La Niña is causing atmospheric confusion, leading to unpredictable weather patterns. Finally, relentless rains since April 24th have caused flooding and delayed planting across the U.S.
Despite these challenges, there are signs of a pattern change in the weather forecast, with warmer temperatures and drier conditions expected in the coming weeks. However, the switch to La Niña could worsen drought conditions in some areas, particularly in the Northwest and Southwest regions of the country.
Source: AgWeb.com