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Auggie

(31,067 posts)
Fri Sep 7, 2012, 09:22 AM Sep 2012

U.S. Climate Prediction Center (CPC) Downgrades El Niņo Impact

REUTERS / 9-7-2012

The U.S. government forecaster has issued its most definitive report since first raising the El Niño alert three months ago, forecasting a weak phenomenon that will last until the Northern Hemisphere spring.

The latest assessment from the U.S. Climate Prediction Center (CPC) could reduce the risk of a major drought in Asia, which produces some of the world’s major food staples – such as sugar cane and grains. But it is unlikely to offset mounting fears about global food supplies.

The much-feared El Niño will develop weakly this month after mostly neutral conditions in August and persist through February of next year, the CPC predicted in its monthly report. It had forecast weak-to-moderate conditions in August.

“At this point the most likely outcome is a weaker event,” Michelle L’Heureux, meteorologist and head of the CPC team that assesses the El Niño and La Niña phenomena, told Reuters.

STORY: http://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2012/09/07/262183.htm

The aticle adds that a strong El Nino can cause widespread drought in Australia, parts of Africa, Southeast Asia and India while bringing rain to other parts of the world.

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U.S. Climate Prediction Center (CPC) Downgrades El Niņo Impact (Original Post) Auggie Sep 2012 OP
i was wondering yesterday about what was going on w/ el nino. nt xchrom Sep 2012 #1
I was hoping a stronger system would bring a lot of rain to California Auggie Sep 2012 #2
cali is always on the edge. xchrom Sep 2012 #3

Auggie

(31,067 posts)
2. I was hoping a stronger system would bring a lot of rain to California
Fri Sep 7, 2012, 10:07 AM
Sep 2012

Selfish, I know, because it means other parts of the world risk drought. Hopefully we'll see a little spike here anyhow. Last year was on the dry side. Two years in a row would be problematic.

xchrom

(108,903 posts)
3. cali is always on the edge.
Fri Sep 7, 2012, 10:26 AM
Sep 2012

we always got a little some thing -- some times more than we wanted -- from an el nino.

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