INDIANA — Federal forecasters released the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) outlook on Thursday, predicting that a “very strong” El Niño climate pattern will play a central role in shaping weather across the country in the coming months.
The atmospheric phenomenon is expected to alter traditional storm tracks, creating a distinct shift in seasonal patterns across the nation.
“As we know from decades of observations, a very strong El Niño will likely bring a southward and eastward shift to the jet stream for the contiguous U.S., which tilts the odds toward stormier weather across the South,” said Ken Graham, director of NOAA’s National Weather Service, in a news release…