DENVER — Colorado’s snowpack hit record lows this past winter following a near-absence of major storms, but the 9NEWS Weather Impact Team said the state may be in for a dramatic turnaround.

A developing “super El Niño” event could make next winter significantly more active across the state.

9NEWS Weather Impact Team meteorologist Chris Bianchi said that El Niño refers to warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central Pacific Ocean — the world’s largest body of water — which creates a domino effect on global weather patterns, including in Colorado. 

A “super” El Niño occurs when those temperatures rise 2°C or more above average, signaling an especially powerful event. Current forecasting models from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) show growing probabilities of exactly that scenario developing through the year.

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