Super El Niño & How It Will Impact the Central Coast

CENTRAL COAST REGION, Calif. (KEYT) – What is El Niño? And what does it mean for the Central Coast?

Your News Channel's First Alert Weather Team put together a detailed segment on common weather phenomena that is having a big impact recently.

"El Niño is a natural climate pattern that begins in the tropical Pacific Ocean," explained Your News Channel's Chief Meteorologist Mackenzie Lake. "During El Niño, [trade] winds weaken, allowing warmer than average water to spread across the Central and Eastern Equatorial Pacific. That warm water changes where heat and moisture enter the atmosphere"

That routine weather pattern can result in an increase storms in the Southern California region.

Earlier this month, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shared that ocean temperatures in the tropical portions of the Pacific Ocean have climbed, meaning that a strong to very strong El Niño is likely to persist into early next year.

The federal agency shared their is a significant chance that the weather pattern reaches record-setting strength.

Notably, the weather could still weaken and result in less winter storms, but the chances are high there will be more storms than locals are used to experiencing.

Extreme Humidity and Warming Ocean Temperatures Fuels Usual Weather Patterns

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Your News Channel First Alert Weather Team was joined by Rose Schoenfeld with the National Weather Service to break down the regional weather impacts as well as segments on how the local community prepares.

Community of La Conchita Braces for Potentially Damaging Rain

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) – The coastal community of La Conchita is no stranger to devastating weather. Witness to the 1995 landslide and the deadly slide in 2005, the community is doing what they can to prep for El Niño impacts. News Channel's Tracy Lehr has the full report.

El Niño-Powered Kelvin Wave Raising Sea Level and Concerns along Central Coast

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) – El Niño is strengthening and heightening waves along the coast of the California, with water levels on the San Luis Obispo County North Coast measuring more than a foot above expected levels. News Channel's Dave Alley has the full report.

Be sure to check out Your News Channel's First Alert Weather Center for all the latest weather information in the local area.