IDAHO — Idaho and the rest of the U.S. are heading towards El Niño, meaning it is very likely the state will see back-to-back warm and dry winters.
This comes as Idaho is already facing drought. Indicators are pointing to this El Niño being one of the strongest ever recorded, which doesn't bode well for people like Ryan Neptune, a former professional snowboarder who owns a ski hill and tubing business.
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“I have a lot of friends that own the ski shops here that were really, really struggling to get through this last winter,” he said. “We understand that weather we can't control, so we just go with it as we can.”
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He, like many, are still recovering from one of Idaho's warmest winters this last year. Now signs point to another year of above-average winter temperatures.
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Water temperatures in the Pacific are well above average, which is evidence for weather experts like Jay Breidenbach at the National Weather Service to confirm we are heading towards a stronger version of the weather phenomenon.
"All indications are that this is going to be one of the strongest El Niños that we've ever seen," he explained.
There is a chance for a wetter and cooler winter this time around, but forecasters like Breidenbach say, "Never say never, but don't bet on it. Bet warmer and drier."
Make sure to follow Scott, Sophie, and our weather team for the latest updates on El Niños impact on Idaho's winter forecast and send in your weather questions to weather@kivitv.com.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
