It’s b-a-a-a-a-c-k!
It’s the weather phenomena that usually means a cloudier and rainier rainy season.
Really, do we need any help with this?
Apparently we do: La Nina has re-developed in the Pacific Ocean  less than three months after it faded away.
If you’re a regular blog reader or KOIN Local 6 viewer, you probably heard me say we were under a “La Nina watch” for late fall and early winter–times when La Nina might possibly re-form. Whoops, this one must be an over-achiever. Because this La Nina developed much fast than any prediction.
La Nina: What It Is, What It Does For Pacific Northwest
NOAA formally announced the ocean water development in the last few days. The agency uses special buoys that tracks water temperature down near the equator. When these temperatures become significantly cooler than average, we call it La Nina. About 2/3 of the time, this will shift the storm track so it spends more time aiming at Oregon & Washington and hosing us down with system after system.
La Nina 2010 vs. La Nina 2011 – A Big Difference
Last winter and the following spring, Portland and Seattle had–for the most part–unusually stormy, wet weather and massive amounts of mountain snow. Winter 2010-2011 was an epic year on the slopes. But that was a “strong” La Nina. Strong La Nina’s have a big impact — remember the endless rain of last spring? That was linked to the strong La Nina and we whined about it all the way until July 2011!
So far, this La Nina late summer and fall 2011 is very weak–and forecast to stay that way. It’s what often forms the winter after a strong La Nina. If this one stays weak odds tilt toward a slightly wetter rainy season and slightly better than average snow-pack, but nothing epic like last season. Not near as exciting, right?
The thing that intrigues me is that this La Nina formed faster than forecast tools predicted–so will it be stronger than forecast , too?
 Stay tuned, La Nina fans, stay tuned…
Thanks, Bruce! Just what I didn’t want to know. If systems are aiming themselves at Washington and Oregon, they’ll be right on top of us as well
Hey Roland–we’ll see how it goes. In the meantime, thanks for taking this September system into B.C. – it’s great being so dry and warm this time of year!
I was wondering, how much snow do you think we will get this winter?
Christian–great question.
Are you talking valley or Cascades for how much snow we get this winter?
Will we get a lot of valley snow this winter ?