El Nino is a warming of the Central Pacific Ocean above the average. This warming causes several large-scale changes to global circulation patterns. For the United States, one of the biggest differences is a stronger southern branch of the jetstream (the subtropical jet).

When this jetstream is active, storm systems can form farther south and draw colder air farther south. Typically this produces heavier rains across the Southern United States, but often, if the storm is just right, it brings snow to the South, as well.

That seems to be the case with this year. Granted, it’s too early to say with certainty if El Nino is the driving force behind this increase in southern snows this year, but most El Nino winters do favor snow in places like central Texas, Louisiana, southern Arkansas, etc. that don’t typically see snow every year.

Houston had snow earlier this year. Western and North Texas got hit with the same storm that brought a blizzard our way. Now another snow is expected to move across Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas (it will come to Kansas, too, by Wednesday). Though a light snow, it just seems like there’s been more snow down south so far this winter than I can remember in several years.

Always something fun going on in the world of weather!