January 6, 2005
Yahoo News
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A weak El Nino during the next three months will mean cooler and wetter weather in part of the U.S. South and drier conditions in some areas of Indonesia, Africa and Australia, U.S. government weather forecasters said on Thursday.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said in its latest winter weather outlook that El Nino would also bring warmer-than-average temperatures to the U.S. West and northern Plains.
While El Nino conditions will persist during the next three months, the forecasters said "there is considerable uncertainty concerning future developments" of the weather phenomena.
El Nino, which is Spanish for "the little boy," is an abnormal warming of water in the Pacific Ocean every three or so years that can wreak havoc with global weather patterns.
The weather agency said if warming in the Pacific Ocean strengthens and spreads east toward South America, parts of Ecuador and northern Peru could experience wetter-than-normal conditions in March and April.
Meanwhile, drier-than-average weather would develop in northern Brazil from February to April, NOAA said.
U.S. government forecasters announced last October that a weak El Nino would influence U.S. weather for several months.
El Ninos can affect crop production, commercial fishing, and energy consumption in countries around the world.
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