In June, the World Meteorological Organization confirmed the development of a powerful weather pattern known as an El Niño. As they continue to release updates following its growing size and impact, local experts predict how this year’s El Niño might affect weather here on campus.
“Anything 2 centigrade over average sea-surface temperature constitutes an El Niño,” said David Murphy, former meteorologist for 6abc. “When that happens, what that does is it changes the temperature of the air above the Pacific, that shifts where the jet stream is going to go, and downstream, including here in the US, it changes everything
While the El Niño could result in severe storms in some parts of the world, and droughts in others, here it could mean something different.
“You’re going to get milder temperatures than you would usually have in the wintertime, and probably less snow,” Murphy said. “This year because temperatures are expected to be a little milder, it could be that you might get more rain. But there’s also a danger in these moderate winters of more ice.”
Whatever the weather, this El Niño is set to peak towards the end of the year.
Some Temple commuters have concerns about the potential shifts in weather.
“I’m worried that if it still manages for weather to be below freezing, that all that water will freeze over cause I take the train; if it’s just rain and then freezing over, it would be more of an issue than if it were just snow,” said Samantha Woolman, a freshman forensic chemistry major.
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