El Niño is expected to cause a major shift in snowfall patterns across the United States this winter, according to a new forecast map. Snowfall is set to be below normal across much of the northern U.S. this winter, according to AccuWeather. But an early burst of snow in the Sierra Nevada and the central and southern Rockies could also benefit ski resorts and help replenish strained water supplies.
Meanwhile, warmer than average conditions across the Northeast and Great Lakes are expected to delay winter's arrival and reduce snowfall, AccuWeather said. Federal forecasters have said the ongoing El Niño—a naturally recurring climate pattern associated with warmer waters in the Pacific—is likely to strengthen into a "very strong" event this fall and winter. There is a 75 percent chance of surpassing every El Niño recorded since 1950 during the October-December period, according to the Climate Prediction Center (CPC).
El Niño winters typically feature milder weather in northern parts of the U.S. and wetter conditions across southern areas, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This is a developing story.
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