Get out your umbrellas! The next few weeks are forecasted to have some significant rainfall and colder temperatures. Across the Bay Area, above-average precipitation is expected for the next ten days and, possibly, through the end of the month. This is the first big system of this year, but, as of recent years, this pattern is all but unusual.
Though there isn’t usually significant rainfall in the Bay Area, recent El Nino years have brought above-average precipitation to the region. In the weather phenomenon of El Nino, trade winds, which take warm water from South America towards Asia, weaken, and warm water is pushed towards the West Coast. Because of this change, the Pacific jet stream moves south of its regular position, and the Northern areas of Canada and the U.S. are warmer and drier than usual. The U.S. Gulf and Southeast, however, are much wetter and at risk for flooding.
This weather has an impact not only on our daily lives but also on marine life. During El Nino, there is little upwelling, or water being brought from the ocean floor to the surface, so there are fewer phytoplankton off the coast. This affects most fish and their migration patterns.
El Nino means “the little boy” in Spanish and was first discovered by South American fishermen in the 1600s. They named the phenomenon El Nino de Navidad or “the little boy of Christmas” because it usually peaks in December.
We hope you stay safe and warm this rainy season!
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