Weather Service Predicts Dryer, Warmer Winter in Southern California

Odds favor below-normal rainfall and above-average temperatures in Southern California this winter, according to a National Weather Service forecast released Monday.The overall average of 25 computer models indicate there is a 55 to 60 percent chance of neutral conditions this winter, meaning neither El Nino nor La Nina conditions, said Eric Boldt, an Oxnard-based meteorologist with the weather service. The El Nino pattern, characterized by warming ocean temperatures near the equator, is associated with above normal rain. However, there typically is no correlation with rainfall during La Nina conditions, which are lower than normal ocean water temperatures.