High Plains Public Radio

El Niño is on the way, and that could be good news for the Texas Panhandle

By Cindee Talley • May 8, 2014
  • Don't expect a lot of rain this summer in much of Texas. And beyond that, if an El Nino comes in the fall, it might not be the savior we expect.
    View Slideshow 1 of 2
    Don't expect a lot of rain this summer in much of Texas. And beyond that, if an El Nino comes in the fall, it might not be the savior we expect.
    Chris Coleman / StateImpact Texas
  • This summer shouldn't be as hot as some of the previous ones. But if the El Nino weather pattern develops this fall, hotter temperatures could be on the way.
    View Slideshow 2 of 2
    This summer shouldn't be as hot as some of the previous ones. But if the El Nino weather pattern develops this fall, hotter temperatures could be on the way.
    Chris Coleman / StateImpact Texas

Forecasters say it looks like El Niño will reappear this fall.  That usually means more rain for Texas, but one meteorologist says it will have mixed results in the Lone Star State reported StateImpact Texas.

Chris Coleman is a meteorologist at the Electric Reliability Council of Texas.  He’s created a temperature and rainfall forecast for this summer and beyond.

“In fact, of the past six [El Niños], only one brought above-normal rainfall to the majority of the state,” Coleman writes in the forecast. “Some El Niño events have been dry.” That’s been the case in two of the past six El Niño events in Texas, where conditions were “predominantly dry,” including the monster El Niño of 1997-1998.

“The precipitation outlooks suggest the drought will continue and potentially worsen over a good portion” of Texas, Coleman writes.

The precipitation forecast map reveals the Texas Panhandle could be one of the lucky areas with above rainfall.

Tags: 
Chris Coleman
Electric Reliability Council of Texas
drought

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