A deep pool of cool water that had been lurking beneath the surface of the eastern tropical Pacific in April began to emerge at the surface in May 2016.
One reason the Fort McMurray area was at high risk for an early-season forest fire was that April snow cover was well below average in much of western North America.
Beneath the surface of the tropical Pacific, a deep pool of cool water has been sliding slowly eastward. This massive, slow-motion wave is a favorable sign that La Niña might develop.
A massive wildfire in northern Alberta has grown out of control, causing the evacuation of Fort McMurray, a city of 80,000 people. What climate conditions fostered this unusual early-season fire?
Currently, the risk of regional-scale tornado outbreaks is predictable only about 7 days in advance. But NOAA scientists report that sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific may provide a month or more of advance warning of an elevated risk for tornado outbreaks.
