Yale Climate Connections has written an article discussing the impacts of El Niño on the 2023 winter season, including warmer-than-average temperatures over the holidays, an increased likelihood of an intense snowstorm hitting the East Coast, and potential rain in California. With a higher chance of a La Niña event beginning in the second half of 2024, this may be the last time such trends will be seen for a few years.

Planning around El Niño and La Niña events should be a constant concern for any sector, especially as their effects intensify or weaken the extreme weather trends seen from climate change. The 2023 El Niño already pushed the year into becoming the hottest on record, and WaterISAC has already reported on how a strong winter El Niño portends multiple 10-year flood events that utilities on the West Coast should prepare for. Members should consider analyzing what weather risks are enhanced in their region and prepare accordingly. Read more at Yale Climate Connections.