El Niño is a weather phenomenon caused by diminishing Pacific Ocean tradewinds with warm water pressing into the western Americas. La Niña refers to the opposite occurrence.
NOAA predicts an El Niño winter in 2023, despite the prior three winters being La Niña per Severe Weather Europe. This weather trend should linger until early April.
In early September, the Climate Prediction Center predicted a 95% possibility of the weather pattern lasting until March 2024.
El Niño trends have historically led to more precipitation and lower temperatures in California and the south, while the north has remained drier and warmer than average, as reported by CNN.
The season prognosis for Utah anticipates a normal precipitation and temperature throughout the state and a 33% to 44% likelihood of a warmer winter in the northwest.
Utah will be a snowy “winter wonderland”. According to KSL Meteorologist Brett Benson, there is no certainty that the previous El Niño would deliver significant snowfall to Utah.