El Niño Strengthens, Potentially Bringing Wetter Winter to Kansas
Kansas has experienced unusual weather patterns, including more than a dozen tornadoes and heavy rains, following an "incredible run" of 37 days with above-normal temperatures. Matthew Sittel, assistant state climatologist, noted that while daytime temperatures were normal, nighttime lows were unusually high for September. For instance, Goodland's coldest September temperature was 50 degrees, compared to a normal low of 45, an unprecedented occurrence in over 130 years of climate data. Similarly, Wichita recorded 60 degrees as its coldest September temperature, also unprecedented. These conditions are occurring as El Niño, a climate pattern characterized by warmer-than-average ocean temperatures in the Pacific, strengthens. Sittel indicated that the June, July, and August average sea surface temperature was the most above normal since 1950, based on the Relative Oceanic Niño Index (RONI).
