Alberta weather experts are predicting a moderate winter and a dangerously dry spring due to an incoming super El Niño. The World Meteorological Organization gave up an update on the climate pattern Thursday. The message: it could be a weather event unlike anything we’ve seen. “If this trajectory continues, it may be stronger than anything since our monitoring began,” Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said. “So literally off the charts we have used for the past four decades.” El Niño typically occurs every two to seven years and lasts nine to 12 months. It happens when the warming of the Pacific Ocean surface exceeds 2 C. Historically, it’s mostly meant milder winters in Canada and less precipitation, specifically in the western provinces and Rocky Mountains. That ups the possibility of a lower-than-usual snowpack, with dry ground and plenty of fire kindling. One Alberta weather specialist says he’ll be watching for increased fire activity in late April and early May. “The severity of the drought is going to depend on how severe it already is at this point in time,” Kyle Brittain told CTV News. “So, parts of Western Canada, like the British Columbia interior, I’d be a little bit more concerned about (right now).” The event last arrived in late 2023. “El Niño contributed to 2024 being the warmest year on record,” Saulo said. “We should not be surprised if this record is broken.”
