The tropical Pacific has been warmer than average for a few months now, but forecasters favor ENSO-neutral through the spring.
In 2019, the U.S. experienced 14 separate disasters costing at least a billion dollars each. Since 1980, 258 billion-dollar disasters have brought damages in excess of $1.75 trillion.
Some oceanic and atmospheric patterns can give us an early heads-up that El Niño might be on its way.
ENSO-neutral is expected to last through spring 2020. See why in our latest ENSO blog and stay for some ENSO trivia.