California's Next Big Flood Threat Is Already Taking Shape

Meteorologists have been warning for months that the emerging El Niño phase could end up going down in the record books as one of the strongest ever. A new seasonal forecast released by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) shows the building El Niño event coming together in the central Pacific Ocean is moving toward record territory. What does this mean for the U.S.? Read on for how a stronger El Niño could mean an elevated flood threat for California.

Soaker of a Winter Setting Up for California?

The latest forecast models from ECMWF signal that California could be in store for a wet and potentially hazardous winter, thanks to the impacts of an intensifying El Niño. Times of El Niño typically translate to increased odds of above-average rain for the West Coast.

The influx of moisture is the result of a wider and wavier jet stream coming from the Pacific, sending a great volume of moisture-rich storms into the Golden State. The jet stream functions as a conveyor belt, ushering in storms from the warm waters of the Pacific and into the western U.S. A more potent jet stream due to El Niño inherently raises the odds of moisture-rich storms.