Fox Cities residents can expect a milder winter than usual, as what could become the strongest El Niño on record develops over the coming months.
Roy Eckberg, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Green Bay, said there is a 90% chance of normal or above-normal temperatures this winter, which would likely mean less snowfall. El Niño occurs when warmer Pacific Ocean water shifts the jet stream south, leaving northern parts of the United States and Canada warmer and drier than normal.
Eckberg said this winter's El Niño, expected between now and February, will likely fall in the very strong category and could be the strongest on record. It would be one of only 11 strong or very strong El Niño winters, and none of those produced above-normal snowfall.
The last El Niño, in the winter of 2023-24, ran about 2 degrees warmer across northeast Wisconsin than the winter before it, according to Eckberg. Impacts would be felt across the whole state, with little temperature difference between Appleton and Green Bay.
A mild winter does not mean an easy one, Eckberg warned. Freezing rain can create extremely hazardous conditions on roads, bridges and sidewalks, and big snowstorms are still possible, so he urged residents to keep snowblowers working and salt on hand.
