Every winter season seems to bring about a new ‘sciencey’ phrase in the weather report. Here in the Sierra Nevada, we often hear terms like atmospheric river, inside slider storm, and El Niño/La Niña oscillation. But what do these mean exactly, and what do they mean for us if we want to get out and play, or avoid headaches on the road due to winter weather?
Let our scientists unpack the science of winter for you. We’ll explain why scientists look to the past to inform future forecasts, and what it means for us today. We’ll also reveal why there is so much attention given to atmospheric rivers for the west, including some things that might surprise you. Finally, we’ll uncover what is behind El Niño/La Niña cycles, and what it really means for our region—including what we can and can’t predict from those long-term, seasonal forecasts.
This virtual edition of Science Distilled will be hosted via Zoom. To make sure you don’t miss it, we encourage you to register to attend.