SOUTHLAND – (INT) – Climatologists say there was an El Nino connection to February’s intense rains throughout most of California.

The Climate Prediction Center (CPC) found El Niño conditions strengthened during the month as above-average sea surface temperatures increased across the equatorial Pacific Ocean.

Looking ahead, the CPC predicts a better than 50-50 chance that El Niño will persist beyond the summer but in a weakened condition. It set forth an 80 percent chance it will extend through the spring in the Northern Hemisphere and 60 percent during the summer.

Experts theorize that El Nino helped fuel the atmosphere rivers that invaded California the past several weeks.

Southern California precipitation has been above normal for four consecutive months.

Story Date: April 11, 2019