Climate and El Niño
El Niño/La Niña Seasonal Climate Variations
The following table provides a summary of the effects on temperature and precipitation across the Southeast:
| Phase | Region | Oct-Dec | Jan- Mar | Apr-Jun | Jul-Sep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| El Nino | Peninsular Florida | Wet & cool | Very Wet & cool | Slightly dry | Slightly dry to no impact |
| Tri-State Region | Wet | Wet | Slightly wet | No impact | |
| Western Panhandle | No impact | Wet | Slightly Dry | No impact | |
| Central and North Ala. & Ga. | No impact | No impact | No impact | Slightly Dry | |
| La Niña | Peninsular Florida | Dry & slightly warm | Very dry & warm | Slightly wet | Slightly cool |
| Tri-State Region | Slighly dry | Dry | Dry | No impact | |
| Western Panhandle | Slightly dry | Dry | Dry | No impact | |
| Central and North Ala. & Ga. | Dry | Dry in the south, wet in NW Ala. | No impact | Wet in NW Ala. | |
| Neutral | All Regions | No impact | No impact | No impact | No impact |
An important addition not highlighted in the table, however, is the probability of a debilitating freeze across the region during each of these three phases. During a neutral phase, the likelihood of a severe freeze is much greater than during either an El Niño or a La Niña event. Appropriate precautions should be taken to minimize potential losses in the event of a severe freeze during one of these years. For more information on freezes see the AgroClimate Freeze Forecast.