The 1997 El Niño: Potential effects in Connecticut - November 1997 to April 1998
Climate Prediction Center (CPC), NWS/NOAA
Updated 17 November 1997
We are currently in the midst of a strong El Niño (warm) episode, which is forecast to continue
through February-April 1998. During this period the tropical ocean surface temperatures are forecast
to remain comparable in magnitude and areal extent to that of 1982-83, which is considered to be
the strongest warm episode of this century. In contrast to the 1982-83 El Niño, which caught the
country by surprise, the present El Niño was predicted several months in advance. This improvement
in climate prediction is the direct result of intensive research efforts by NOAA and its partners
during the last 15 years. Part of this research effort, which is still ongoing, has been devoted to
determining the effects of El Niño on temperature and precipitation patterns in the U. S. and
globally. Some results of this research for your state are discussed below.
The information on state impacts is derived by looking at what has happened in those years during
the past century that featured moderate to strong El Niño episodes. Although El Niño may have an
impact on Connecticut, historically there has not been a consistent response. Included are U.S.-wide
maps of average precipitation rankings during El Niño episodes for the November-December and
January-March periods and U.S.-wide maps of average temperature rankings during El Niño
episodes for the December-February and February-April periods. El Niño impacts vary with season.