An El Niño winter is coming; What it means for Ohio

Are you ready for an El Niño winter?

El Niño occurs when ocean temperatures are warmer than normal for an extended period of time.

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This winter, El Niño is expected to be stronger, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

This will be the first time in years we’ll feel the effects of the phenomenon during the coldest months of the year.

The south could see wetter and cooler weather, while the north could become drier and warmer, according to NOAA.

In general, El Niño will result in a milder winter for southwest Ohio with less snow, according to Storm Center 7 Chief Meteorologist Austin Chaney.

The strength of the El Niño plays a role, along with other global patterns, Chaney said.

“Bottom line, El Niño is a factor for us, and it may result in a milder winter, but some other ingredients in the mix may have a say as to what extent this does to our weather, and it’s a little too early to make a reliable forecast for winter yet,” Chaney said.

Historically, El Niño leads to milder winters in the Pacific- Northwest, the plains, and the Midwest regions.

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