Welcome to Fall everybody! This is my favorite season of the year for many reasons. In the fall, you have the cooler temperatures to enjoy as well as the beautiful fall foliage. With so many trees in the area, I feel like Virginia, arguably, has some of the best fall foliage in the country. Most of us can also breathe during the fall and enjoy the nice weather without the allergies that most people deal with during the spring. Last, but not least, we typically see the first snow of the season in fall.
Speaking of snow, I wanted to discuss something that could have a significant impact on our weather this winter and that is El Nino. El Nino is typically characterized as having warm ocean waters in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. On the contrary, La Nina typically sees much cooler waters in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. El Nino is a lot more common than La Nina.
I know what you are most concerned about is how will this impact our weather this winter. As of right now, the effects of El Nino can already be seen in the Atlantic Ocean where fewer hurricanes have been forming. In contrast, the Pacific Ocean has been very active with several hurricanes forming.
Currently, we are looking at a weak El Nino, which could signify more snow than average, but nothing like a “Snowmaggedon.” Should El Nino strengthen this fall, like some forecasters are suggesting, then that could mean even more snow for our region this winter. Typically in a stronger El Nino, the southern jet stream would be pushed further north, allowing for stronger storms due to warmer air being pushed northward.
In terms of this winter, I think its safe to say that we will see at least 15 inches of snow; however, that amount may change when I do my official Winter Outlook in October, so stay tuned.
My favorite thing to do is study the weather. It is truly fascinating. Nothing beats a good thunderstorm. I became very interested in weather when I lived in Okinawa, Japan for four years and was actually inside a super typhoon.”
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