The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts a 70% chance  of El Niño conditions developing in the northern hemisphere later this year. If that happens, Texas may be in for a real winter.

According to NOAA, El Niño conditions occur when there's a weakening of Pacific trade winds, which typically blow east. This causes a concentration of warmer ocean water near Central and South America, which in turn leads to an intensification and southward shift of the Pacific jet stream.

What does that mean for us? Well, it means a cooler, wetter winter.

NOAA scientists point out that more intense winters are typical in El Niño years, but that they are a matter of probability rather than certainty.

I don't know about you, but I'd certainly welcome a cold winter, especially if we can get some snow out of it. Then again, if I know Texas (I've only left the state once in my life, so I know her pretty well), that precipitation would likely just be rain that would create quite a bit of muddy ice. Still, I've always been a winter person, so I'll take it.

How about you? Would you like to see a colder, wetter winter, or are you hoping not to have to dig the winter gear out of your closet? Let us know in the comments section.

NOAA
NOAA
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NOAA
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