Publication Date February 25, 2016 | Sacramento Bee

Is This El Niño a Dud?

United States
Curious about California’s snowfall? Here is a look at snow depth since Oct. 1, 2015. Photo: National Weather Service.
Curious about California’s snowfall? Here is a look at snow depth since Oct. 1, 2015. Photo: National Weather Service.

Sacramento is in the peak of its rainy season, but there is no substantial rain in the forecast for the next two weeks. This year’s winter is yet another example that El Niños are unpredictable and any long-range weather forecast is suspect. The nexus of warm water in the Pacific is further west than usual this year. That is a big factor in determining where the rain will fall. Often El Niño brings heavy rain to Southern California; this year it’s been rainier in Northern California, and portions of the Pacific Northwest have gotten record precipitation