Rain and wind in Britain were blamed on the “The Little Boy,” and a disappointing monsoon in India is also credited to the weather patterns developing in the central Pacific Ocean. That rainfall resulted in tons of water and mud flooding and burying hundreds of vehicles on Interstate 5 and Highways 58 and 138, as well as some homes. Several people were carried away to their death.

In fact, the high desert region to the north and east of Los Angeles County went from zero inches of rain to more than three inches of water in just over one hour on October 15th. In mid-October, the first El Niño related storm swept across California. The result will almost certainly be floods and mudslides. This “Godzilla” El Niño will roar into the State, and the bone dry earth will not be able to absorb the heavy rainfall. Unfortunately, the arid weather and lack of water during the past few years, not to mention the signficant wildfire summer that California has experienced adds up to real danger for people and property. You might think that was good news, as the state has been suffering through a significant drought for years. The 2015/2016 El Niño is bringing lots of water to Southern California. Damaged homes and vehicles during the 1987/88 El Niño storms that struck Southern California The 1997-98 El Niño claimed 17 lives and caused more than $500 million dollars in damage throughout California. Those who take valuable steps to protect their families and property are less likely to suffer the impact of extensive rain, wind, and cold that is likely to affect the west for months to come. People who don’t pay attention and prepare for the effects of El Niño are most at risk. Simply put, El Niño is dangerous because it behaves differently than the “typical” weather pattern that occur in the Western U.S. La Niña is also sometimes called El Viejo, anti-El Niño, or simply “a cold event.” During a La Niña year, winter temperatures are warmer than normal in the Southeast and cooler than normal in the Northwest. La Niña means The Little Girl in Spanish. The opposite weather phase of El Niño is called La Niña. The ENSO cycle is a scientific term that describes the fluctuations in temperature between the ocean and atmosphere in the east-central Equatorial Pacific (or, the middle of the huge Pacific Ocean. Scientifically, El Niño is a component of a larger weather pattern known as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation ( ENSO) cycle. The name was chosen based on the winter (near Christ’s birth) time of year when it typically occurred. El Niño was first observed by fishermen off the coast of South America in the 1600s, with the appearance of unusually warm water in the Pacific Ocean. The term El Niño in Spanish means The Little Boy, or Christ Child. But what does it really mean for Californians in general, and Southern Californians specifically? What is El Nino? The threat is real. The wet weather phenomenon has become a huge blip on the forecasting radar for the Western United States since summer. With winter approaching, it’s very important for Californians to start understanding El Niño.

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