COLLEGE PARK, MD - It looks like the peak of El Niño is about to arrive and here to stay, according to new reports from the Climate Prediction Center (CPC). The weather association has released new data that predicts that El Niño will peak during the winter of 2015-2016, and conditions wont return back to neutral until late spring or early summer of 2016.

The CPC’s El Nino/Southern Oscilation (ENSO) Diagnostic Discussion reports, “Most models indicate that a strong El Niño will continue through the Northern Hemisphere winter 2015-16, followed by weakening and a transition to ENSO-neutral during the late spring or early summer.” 

The report also shares that forecasters are now predicting that this El Niño could rank among the top three strongest episodes going back to 1950.

As we previously reported, El Niño is a warming of a certain patch of the central Pacific that changes weather patterns worldwide, associated with flooding in some areas and droughts in others. This is the first since 2010, and has been progressively building.  

Historically, El Niño events can lead to severe dry conditions in parts of Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, while North America typically sees heavy rains. This could potentially affect agriculture for the better or worse across the globe, however forecasters say it is too early to tell exactly what the results may be.

For more on what potential affects El Niño may have on the fresh produce industry, AndNowUKnow will update you as the information is released. 

Climate Prediction Center