70 to 75 percent chance of El Nino year in the Northwest

Winter is just around the corner and many people are gearing up for the snow. However, it might not be as bad as you think. In fact, we might have a very mild winter with low snow and rainfall around southeast Idaho.

This year is an El Nino year for the pacific northwest. Meaning that there will be unusually warm temperatures in the central to the eastern Pacific Ocean. The coast is more than 600 miles away, however, it does have an indirect effect in Idaho.

Additionally, EL Nino has a high percent chance of developing. According to the national weather service, there is a 70 to 75 percent chance. It’s also not far off in the future, they’re expecting to see typically El Nino weather beginning in late fall and early winter.

Here in southeast Idaho, we can expect warmer and drier conditions around the region. There will be low moisture and a lot of wind. Therefore, we might be able to leave our winter coats in our closets for a little while longer.