A 'super' El Niño could bring severe winter weather to Florida – WUSF

A ‘super’ El Niño could bring severe winter weather to Florida  WUSF

The trade-off from a quiet hurricane season? The El Niño brewing in the Pacific Ocean could result in the most severe winter weather conditions ever recorded in Florida. A strong El Niño, which started in June, has led to record-breaking heat and a quiet hurricane season. But as winter approaches, the “super” El Niño could develop into the strongest ever recorded, even though it is still in the early stages and currently considered moderate. Stephen Shiveley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Ruskin, explained an El Niño occurs when the Pacific Ocean water temperature is warm, raising the question: “Why would temperatures all the way over there affect us here in the United States?” But the El Niño doesn't cause specific conditions — it's a factor that causes the weather to act a little bit differently during the winter, Chief Meteorologist Mike Clay with Spectrum Bay News 9 explained.

ALSO READ: Florida's summer ends with persistent heat, rainfall deficits “Areas that don't normally get rain will get rain,” Clay said. “Areas that normally get rain will be in a drought.” Meteorologist Andrew Wulfeck with the Florida Public Radio Emergency Network (FPREN) said he has never seen an El Niño forecast this strong. He predicts Florida will see severe weather throughout the winter. “We're trading out the dry conditions