Winter impacts of El Nio

The government just released its outlook for the winter season, and it looks like a strong El Nio will dominate our weather.

But does that mean more snow?

Ken Micklich remembers one of Colorado Springs’ worst snowstorms, which happened during another strong El Nio winter.

Micklich remembers some rough weather over the years, but for him the worst were the blizzards of 1982…

“We got stuck out on the road somewhere out in the blizzard and I didn’t think I was ever going to get home,” he said.

And 1997.

“Stuck in my apartment because of the weather for a couple of days, maybe three days,” he said.

It may seem like a long time ago, but 1982 and 1997 have something in common: El Nio.

“We’re looking at levels that are pretty historic, matching levels where we were in ’97-’98,” said Kyle Mozley, a forecaster for the National Weather Service in Pueblo.

The forecasters are fairly confident in their predictions. The difference now: a better ability to predict El Nio’s impact.

And Mozley says it’s likely that some parts of Southern Colorado are going to get walloped this winter.

Mozley said, “We typically see above-normal precipitation, especially in the southeastern plains.”

Normally in an El Nio winter, we see our first storm while the leaves are still on the ground, but the question now is what does that mean for our winter?

“The fall months and the spring months are really favored for precipitation,” said Mozley.

No matter what happens, Micklich says he will be ready.

“Non-perishable foods, make sure I have enough down there in my basement,” he said.

Because it’s only a matter of time before leaves on the ground gives way to snow on the ground.

While the government say this El Nio will rival 1997-98, there’s no guarantee that we’ll see the feet of snow and hurricane force winds that we saw that winter.