Does El Niño Mean More Pacific Hurricanes?

A shift in hurricane activity from the Atlantic to the Pacific may be largely due to the transition from La Niña to El Niño.

"A year ago, we were coming off of La Niña, and that was a much more conducive situation to major hurricanes in the Atlantic Basin, which is one of the reasons we ended up seeing Harvey, Irma and Maria in close order, creating devastating impacts for the United States,” said USDA Meteorologist Brad Rippey.

"This year, it looks like El Niño is on the horizon, and that is a much more conducive situation to significant and enhanced hurricane activity in the Pacific Basin," Rippey continued.  "Already, we have seen two long-lived storms, Hector and Lane."

The El Niño weather pattern tends to bring warmer waters to the equatorial Pacific.  Which Rippey said serves as another sign that El Niño is right on the doorstep, and could start impacting our weather this winter.

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