Fall in Austin will likely be warmer and drier than normal due to a La Niña pattern, National Weather Service forecasters say.
A La Niña weather pattern happens when the eastern Pacific Ocean near the equator cools, which can lead to warmer and drier conditions across the southern U.S., the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says. The La Niña pattern affecting Austin will last through fall, or September, October, and November, and hang on into the winter, Emily Heller, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service said.
The effects of the La Niña pattern can already be seen. September, for example, normally records 1.79 inches of rain by mid-month. But this year, the Austin area has only seen 0.08 inches of rain, National Weather Service data says.
“Typically we do see a slight uptick in precipitation compared to August and July, but that hasn’t panned out so far for September,” Heller said.
October and November also normally see rainy conditions. Such conditions are still possible even in a La Niña, Heller said.
“It depends,” she said. “We could still see cold fronts and rainy patterns.”
For now, it seems like we have to savor our cooler mornings as best we can, Austin.
Temperatures in the mid-90s are expected for the rest of the week in Austin, peaking at 95 degrees most days, forecasters say. Conditions will oscillate between sunny and party cloudy. Chances for rain will start on Friday, with a 20% possibility of showers in the afternoon.
Stay cool out there, y’all!
