You’ve probably heard a lot lately about a strong El Nino that will peak this fall. Adding the description of “Godzilla” makes it seem scary, so I wanted to lay out the facts so you can be aware of what to expect and how it will impact Central Florida.
First, we need to understand what El Nino is. The simplest definition is when there is unusually warm ocean temperatures in the Pacific. How would that impact Florida when it’s so far away?
What happens during an El Nino is the winds over the Pacific relax. Higher winds over the ocean push the water away from the surface, allowing for cooler water to rise to the top. This is not the case with the lower wind speeds of an El Nino season. The cooler water is not able to reach the top, so the ocean temperatures are able to warm higher than usual. The added heat source forces weather changes in regions far removed from the Pacific.
Quick side note for better understanding. If you’ve been to the east coast beaches lately, you may have found the water to be a bit cooler. We’ve had several weeks with strong westerly wind. This has pushed the warm water away from the coast, allowing for cooler water to surface. This is opposite of what happens during an El Nino event.
This summer, the sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific have been warming rapidly. The temperature is already above what they were back in 1997-1998, which is one of the strongest El Nino’s on record. This is why it is forecast to be a “Godzilla” type event, which will peak in the fall and early winter.
The biggest impacts will be felt across the southwest, which has been in a four-year drought. If this El Nino season is similar to the one in 1997-1998, conditions will be wetter than normal. This will help with the drought situation, but will most likely not be able to get them out of it completely. Also, too much rain in a dry environment can lead to flooding and mudslides.
For the rest of the U.S., a strong El Nino season would bring wetter and cooler conditions for places from Texas to us here in Florida. Across the north, a drier and warmer setup would take place. The New England states are not typically impacted by an El Nino event.
So, even though this event is being named “Godzilla,” there’s not much to worry about for Central Florida. Maybe a few more rainy days, which we’ve become accustomed to this summer.