El Niño Is Coming – Are Dallas Fort Worth Residents Prepared?

The metropolitan area of Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas has a humid climate for a majority of the year. However, during the spring and summer, dry winds come in from the west and the north bringing increased temperatures up to 102 degrees, at times. Oftentimes the heat-humidity index can reach 117 degrees Fahrenheit and precipitation averages around 2.8 inches per month. During an El Niño event however, rainfall increases dramatically, and this year’s El Niño will be the strongest since 1950.

El Niño and DFW

What effect can we expect this year’s El Niño to have on the Dallas/Fort Worth area? First off, El Niño is the name for what is a warm phase of the Southern Oscillation of the ocean. It is defined by a prolonged warming of the Pacific Ocean when compared to the average temperature; a warm band of ocean water develops in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific, between the international Date Line and 120 Degrees West (approximately). The name, El Niño refers to The Christ Child because this period of warming water occurs near South America during Christmas time.

El Niño will bring more rainstorms to the Dallas Fort Worth area this fall, winter and spring. Computer models show that this El Niño could be the strongest since 1950. With temperatures cooling down in the wintertime, this means a good chance of snow as well.

Be Prepared

With El Niño’s anticipated increase in rainfall this year, there is a higher chance of flooding. Now is the time to get prepared. How are your property’s lawn and landscaped area drainage systems working? Do you have a sump pump? If you have low lying areas that do not drain, you may want to consider installing a sump pump. Drainage ditches are important in times of intense rain.