How can El Niño affect Illinois weather?
Temperatures are expected to be warmer than average from December to February in the midwest. National Weather Service
Illinois has experienced severe storms, heat waves and changing weather this year.
But climatologists are also looking into a climate phenomenon that, although happening thousands of miles away, could shape our weather in the coming months.
Scientists are predicting this year’s El Niño could be a strong one. So what does a warming Pacific Ocean mean for Illinois?
Associate Professor in the Department of Climate, Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Deanna Hence and Illinois State Climatologist with the Prairie Research Institute, Trent Ford talk about how El Niño can impact Illinois weather and how those patterns can affect our agriculture.
Partial funding for Weather Realness is provided by the Backlund Charitable Trust. If you want to ask a local scientist a question on the program, please leave a voicemail at 217.333.2141 or email weatherrealness@illinois.edu.
