Despite the influence of La Niña, December 2020 was the eighth-hottest December on record helping 2020 become the second-hottest year on record.
December 2020 and the start of the 2020-2021 winter looks warmer and drier than average for much of the country.
A strong El Niño continued during December 2015 with well above average sea surface temperatures across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, according to NOAA Climate Prediction Center’s monthly El Niño advisory update.
ENSO-neutral is expected to last through spring 2020. See why in our latest ENSO blog and stay for some ENSO trivia.