Heavy Rainfall Could be in Store for Texas This Year

Move over El Niño and La Niña, here comes La Nada. 

Now that El Niño has officially come to an end, forecasters are saying neither of the weather patterns known as El Niño or La Niña will be present any time soon, according to Times Record News. 

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How does El Niño affect the weather? 

According to NOAA, El Niño brings dryer and warmer than usual weather to parts of the Northern United States and Canada. However, those periods bring wetter than usual weather to the U.S. Gulf Coast and Southeast, with increased chances of flooding. 

How does La Niña affect the weather? 

La Niña typically brings drought to the southern U.S. and heavy rains and flooding to the Pacific Northwest and Canada. 

What is La Nada? 

La Nada means the climate is unpredictable. The issue with La Nada is that it makes it more difficult for scientists to forecast the weather. 

What could this mean for Texas? 

Even though the weather is unpredictable during La Nada, Texas Water Development Board hydrologist Dr. Mark Wentzel says the Lone Star State could be in for a wetter than usual year: 

The months of April, May and June historically bring a lot of rainfall to our state. And they're very important for us in terms of avoiding drought. If we can get some normal to above-normal rainfall during those months, that can help us stay out of drought during the coming summer months.

That’s great news considering the drought issues we endure in Texas. Hopefully, the forecast holds up.