SAN DIEGO — El Niño is expected to bring increased rainfall and warmer than normal temperatures this winter. The National Weather Service updated its rain and temperature outlook for the next few months.
"Things are changing. You can kind of tell. A little more rain and a different cloudiness," said David Wood.
David Wood has lived in San Diego for 70 years. He says he's preparing for what El Niño might bring.
"I seem to remember a couple El Niño seasons so I got my gutters up and everything checked around the house. I think it will be good. We can never get enough rain," he said.
The National Weather Service says this El Niño has the potential to become historically strong.
"Water being warmer than normal near the equator can affect our storm patterns," said Stephanie Sullivan, a meteorologist.
We could start seeing more rain as soon as next month.
"It did start to show above normal precipitation starting in December," she said.
She said this latest outlook shows a 40 to 50 percent chance of above normal precipitation. It also shows above normal temperatures.
A NASA analysis says a strong El Nino could cause high-tide flooding and lead to a 10-year flood event in cities including Seattle and San Diego.
The National Weather Service says it's too soon to predict exactly how much rain we can expect this winter.
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