What’s Ahead for 2009 Spring and Summer Weather?
If the current weak La Nina continues, a colder, wetter spring may be in store for the Corn Belt. One of the biggest things that impacts our ability to see whats happening with the long-range weather outlook is the teeter-totter between El Nino and La Nina, says Dennis Todey, South Dakotas state climatologist and an Extension climatologist at South Dakota State University. El Nino and La Nina are changes in Pacific Ocean temperature. El Nino refers to a warmer-than-average change, while La Nina refers to a colder-than-average change. If the water temperature is 0.5 C warmer than average, or more, then we are in an El Nino weather trend, Todey says. If its 0.5 colder than average, or less, then we are in a La Nina trend. Understanding the oceans The reason why water temperature impacts weather patternsmaking them somewhat more predictableis because the temperature of the ocean impacts how the atmosphere above the ocean reacts. Thats why the North American Corn Belt focuses on the temper
