With last year’s El Niño behind us, the watch is on for the opposite weather phenomenon, the La Niña. The Southern Oscillation Index is known by the name ENSO, the El Niño, La Niña, and the Southern Oscillation coupled with the rainfall in the equatorial Pacific is combined in a model to predict what conditions will emerge. El Niño years typically are warmer and wetter and the opposite is true for La Niña years which generally mean a dry, cool winter for California. La Niña years most often follow directly after the El Niño pattern. Early predictions are indicating that a balanced condition may present which means a more typical winter weather pattern. This is worth watching by Almond growers, who are hoping for at least a better shot for average rainfall and snowpack. The other concern often presented by La Niña years that could affect the upcoming growing season is a colder than average spring, which could disrupt bloom. [Click here to learn more about the ENSO pattern]
