El Nino will impact U.S. weather

 El Nino conditions developed in the tropical Pacific in late 2006 and are likely to continue into early 2007, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scientists reported. El Nino refers to the large-scale ocean-atmosphere climate phenomenon linked to a periodic warming in sea surface temperatures across the central and east-central equatorial Pacific.

Typical El Nino effects are likely to develop over North America during winter. These include warmer-than-average temperatures over western and central Canada , and over the western and northern United States . Wetter-than-average conditions are likely over portions of the U.S. Gulf Coast and Florida . Drier-than-average conditions can be expected in the Ohio Valley and the Pacific Northwest .

The development of weak El Nino conditions helps explain why last year’s Atlantic hurricane season was less active than previously expected.

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