El Nino by Abby Neuens
The unusual lack of snow this winter can be accredited to an El Niño weather system. El Niños are when trade winds across the Pacific Ocean weaken, causing warm water to be pushed east towards the West Coast of North and South America. The warm water causes the jet stream to move south of its natural position, causing dryer and warmer than normal weather in Canada and the northern U.S., while also causing the Gulf Coast and Southeast to become wetter than usual, leading to damage because of the more floods than average.
La Niña years, on the other hand, have even stronger trade winds than normal, pushing warm water towards Asia and bringing cold, nutrient-rich water to the surface. The cold waters push the jet stream north, causing drought in the Southern U.S. and heavy rains and snowfall in the Pacific Northwest and Canada.
The last El Niño year was the winter of 2018 to 2019, but that was an exceptionally weaker system than the one going on now. The ongoing system reached a “historically strong” status when the sea surface temperature reached 2.0℃ (5.4℉) higher than normal.
This year, the system will cause some cities in West Michigan to get lower levels of snowfall. Grand Rapids has only gotten 1.9 inches, even though its normal snowfall levels are nearer to 6.6 inches. Kalamazoo has only seen 4.9 inches, but still significantly more than Grand Rapids. On the opposite side of the scales, Muskegon has gone over their average amount of snow, reaching 13.2 inches, which brings them to 7.2 inches over the normal amount. Sadly, as a result of the El Niño, the lakeshore will not be having a white Christmas, with temperatures reaching 51℉ with rainy weather on Christmas. This isn’t the first year with a snowless Christmas, as 2018, 2019, and 2021 ended up with no snow as well.
Thankfully, the system will most likely not stick around until next winter, but it will probably stay for the spring and summer. El Ninos don’t normally have a huge effect on weather during the spring and summer, so the weather should be back to normal by March or April next year.
La Niña years, on the other hand, have even stronger trade winds than normal, pushing warm water towards Asia and bringing cold, nutrient-rich water to the surface. The cold waters push the jet stream north, causing drought in the Southern U.S. and heavy rains and snowfall in the Pacific Northwest and Canada.
The last El Niño year was the winter of 2018 to 2019, but that was an exceptionally weaker system than the one going on now. The ongoing system reached a “historically strong” status when the sea surface temperature reached 2.0℃ (5.4℉) higher than normal.
This year, the system will cause some cities in West Michigan to get lower levels of snowfall. Grand Rapids has only gotten 1.9 inches, even though its normal snowfall levels are nearer to 6.6 inches. Kalamazoo has only seen 4.9 inches, but still significantly more than Grand Rapids. On the opposite side of the scales, Muskegon has gone over their average amount of snow, reaching 13.2 inches, which brings them to 7.2 inches over the normal amount. Sadly, as a result of the El Niño, the lakeshore will not be having a white Christmas, with temperatures reaching 51℉ with rainy weather on Christmas. This isn’t the first year with a snowless Christmas, as 2018, 2019, and 2021 ended up with no snow as well.
Thankfully, the system will most likely not stick around until next winter, but it will probably stay for the spring and summer. El Ninos don’t normally have a huge effect on weather during the spring and summer, so the weather should be back to normal by March or April next year.