Despite the cooler than normal temperatures across North Dakota as of late, the Climate Prediction Center says the development of El Nino continues to progress. An El Nino advisory remains in effect with conditions favored to strengthen into the Northern Hemisphere winter of 2023-24.
El Nino is created when Pacific Ocean sea surface temperatures rise above certain levels in various area. A rise of as little as half a degree centigrade is enough to trigger El Nino conditions. The latest reading regarded as most influential for weather across the northern U.S. has reached one-degree centigrade, which is reflected in the issuance of an El Nino Advisory.
According to the latest forecast from the CPC, “There is a greater than 90% chance that El Nino will continue through the Northern Hemisphere winter.”
Furthermore, the CPC says El Nino is expected to strengthen and persist, which would mean above-normal temperatures for the coming months of November-December-January for North Dakota.