Fall has just begun but looking ahead to winter, this one may look drastically different than recent years because of El Nino. National Weather Service Meteorologist Denny Van Cleve says this winter will be the first in a few years to feel the effects of the phenomenon, which has a sizeable impact on the weather during the coldest months of the year. The El Nino phase occurs when ocean temperatures are warmer than normal for an extended period. According to NOAA’s Climae Prediction Center this year’s El Nino began in June and is expected to be strong this winter and last at least into early next spring. Van Cleve says El Nino typically leads to a milder winter in the north including less frequent bouts of brutal cold or heavy snow in the Midwest. According to NOAA a very strong El Nino during the 2015-16 winter contributed to the warmest winter on record in the United States.
