El Nino

The strongest El Nino on record is expected to drench the southern half of United States this fall and winter, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA). The meteorological phenomenon will undoubtedly bring benefits for some industries and setbacks for others, across the breadth of the United States.

For the West Coast and across the South, that likely means heavy precipitation and snowfall; the East Coast and North can expect slightly warmer temperatures. Although a deluge sounds like the answer to California's prayers, one season of rainfall will hardly relieve the drought-stricken state. Nevertheless, Shon Hiatt, professor at the USC Marshall School of Business, is optimistic, "at the California level, any more water is great."

September Weather

The September average temperature across global land and ocean surfaces was 1.62°F (0.90°C) above the 20th century average&mdash. This was the highest September temperature on record, surpassing the previous record set last year by +0.12°F (+0.19°C). September's high temperature was also the greatest rise above average for any month in the 136-year historical record, surpassing the previous record set in both February and March this year by 0.02°F (0.01°C).

Current Weather

Another round of heavy rain is expected to move from the southern Plains Friday into the deep south Saturday. Rainfall accumulation will be 1 to 3 inches in many areas, with locally heavier amounts. Several rounds of heavy rain will also affect the Pacific Northwest Friday through the weekend.