El Niño reaches 'strong' intensity, will dramatically reshape world's weather

[jpak]

Source: Mashable

The periodic climate cycle in the Pacific Ocean known as El Niño has reached "strong" levels, according to scientists at the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) in College Park, Maryland. The event commenced in March and is forecast to have its peak influence on U.S. weather this winter, before subsiding next spring. It ranks as the 2nd- to 3rd-strongest such event on record for this time of year, as measured by the ocean temperature departures from average and other metrics, forecasters said Thursday.

It's possible that the ongoing event, which should peak in the next several months, will eclipse the mother of all El Niño events, which occurred in 1997-98, as well as another monster El Niño that occurred in 1982-83.

That is not assured, however, as it's not quite there yet.

“By any measure, '97 is stronger” so far, said Mike Halpert, the deputy director of the CPC, during a conference call with reporters.

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Read more: http://mashable.com/2015/09/10/el-nino-strong-intensity/#VHN6gzlOSqkC

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[Fearless]

1. One could only hope for another arctic winter in the northeast

Maybe it'll help the ice pack. Unfortunately probably not where it's needed most.

[magical thyme]

7. strong el nino brings warmer winters to northeast

97-98 brought Maine one of it's worst ice storms. 4 out of 5 without power at some point, and some went without power for weeks.

Canada was creamed by it. I remember visiting some time after and driving hours down a highway looking at mile after mile of flattened trees.

[NV Whino]

2. The weather could definitely stand some reshaping

Bring it on. I bought new rain gear.

[1Greensix]

9. BAD weather?

There's no such thing as Bad Weather. Just bad clothing choices.

[NV Whino]

10. Hey, I didn't say bad. I said it needed reshaping.

I'm definitely ready for El Niño.

[DRoseDARs]

11. Dunno if you're near Reno, but the '97 El Nino...

...flooded downtown, much of the Sparks industrial area, and filled in the freshly-drained Helms Pit, now known as the Sparks (Well fuck, this several hundred feet deep hole in the ground just refilled with water, what else are we going to do with it...?) Marina.

A few years later, we built a trench to lower the east-west Union Pacific railroad below-grade to cease the cutting-off of north from south every time a train passes through. Problem is, that trench is right where it flooded last time. For several weeks, you can forget train traffic passing through the next time we flood.

We could have had 6 major roads elevated over the tracks, instead we got Reno's Folly.

[NV Whino]

12. Sparks Marina!

I'm in the Napa Valley. Heck, we're almost neighbors.

We got our own share of flooding during the last El Niño. I realized, after the fact, that I drove through the Napa River to get home one Saturday. Looking back, I'm surprised I didn't get washed downstream. I think all of our flood control projects are now finished so we're ready for another deluge.

Did I mention this new rain gear I bought in anticipation?

[DRoseDARs]

13. Whelp, guess you're not a Nevadan.

NV = Postal abbreviation

[NV Whino]

14. Yeah, I didn't even think of Nevada when I chose the NV

Musta had too much wine.

[Sunlei]

3. I'm hoping for snow and ice in Houston this winter. If only the 10 inch an hour rains can

happen when the temp. is below freezing! I have 2 big fast young dogs and some skis in my attic!!

I love extreme weather!

[olddots]

4. have you been on Jupiter lately ?

Oy. now thats some weather .

[Art_from_Ark]

8. And it rains diamonds there

Or so I hear

[Frank Cannon]

5. It's the End of the World As We Know It

Wait a minute... can I use that?

[cyberswede]

15. lol

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

16. REM has the song, the world has the saying.

[safeinOhio]

6. I live next to the Reservation and

stopped and talked to an old Native American yesterday. He said this will a very cold winter, the signs point to it. I asked what signs? He said his white neighbor has a huge pile of firewood this year.

[JudyM]

17. Cute! Thanks for that smile. Nt

[Retrograde]

18. As long as it brings snow to the Sierras

I'll put up with the mud and the mess and the sandbagging.