El Niño Map Shows Cities Facing Biggest Winter Weather Change

Major cities from Los Angeles to Atlanta could face heavier rainfall, flooding and other disruptive weather this winter as El Niño strengthens, AccuWeather lead long-range expert Paul Pastelok told Newsweek.

Federal forecasters said Thursday that the phenomenon is expected to strengthen through the end of the year, with a greater than 90 percent chance it will become a very strong event during fall and winter.

What Is El Niño?

El Niño is the warm phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, or ENSO, a recurring Pacific climate pattern that can affect weather worldwide. Its counterpart, La Niña, is the cool phase of the cycle.

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