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2 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Water crew search leads to lead ... Darex adding space and employees amid a sales boom ... Family, pet escape Medford house fire safely ... Water crew search leads to lead ... Darex adding space and employees amid a sales boom ... Family, pet escape Medford house fire safely ... WEATHER Goodbye El Niño, hello La Niña Forecasters say changing ocean temps may mean a wetter winter Comment By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil Posted Jun. 18, 2016 at 10:03 AM By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil Posted Jun. 18, 2016 at 10:03 AM » Social News Another wetter-than-usual winter could be coming to the Northwest, forecasters say. But there's no way to predict whether it will extend as far south as Southern Oregon. The forecast is based on surface waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean, which are cooling and expected to continue cooling through the summer months. Current models show surface temperatures in that region are expected to cool anywhere from a half-degree to three-quarters of a degree below normal, and National Weather Service officials say there is a 66 percent chance the cooling will continue through summer's end. "So we're looking at late July and August, and then we're fully below normal all the way to winter," said NWS meteorologist Brian Nieuwenhuis. That continued cooling will result in a phenomenon known as La Niña — translated to mean "the little girl" in English — which impacts long-term forecasts because of its effect on the jet stream. Typically, it resulted in a drier winter season in the Southwest and a cooler, wetter one farther north in the U.S. and into Canada. It also typically means warmer than normal temperatures in the Southeast. That's in direct contrast to El Niño — or "the little boy" — which is a warming of surface waters in the eastern Pacific spurned by a weakening in the easterly trade winds. That typically results in a drier winter farther north along the Pacific coast and wetter conditions in the southwest. "Global climate La Niña impacts tend to be opposite those of El Niño impacts," an National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration statement says . With Southern Oregon sandwiched between the two spots, it's more of a coin toss as to what the resulting conditions will be, regardless of whether it's La Niña or El Niño. "We're in the middle, so it could go either way," said Nieuwenhuis. "There's no way to really know until we get into the thick of it." Other recent La Niñas occurred in the winters of 1995, 1998, 2007 and 2011. The recent El Niño concluded in May after sticking around for more than a year, according to NOAA . During the winter months it was occurring, Southern Oregon received a higher-than-average amount of rainfall. From October 2015 to midnight Thursday, June 16, 2016, Medford received 19.08 inches of rain, 2.19 inches above normal. The city received only 14 inches during the same time period the winter before. Reach reporter Ryan Pfeil at 541-776-4468 or [email protected]. Follow him at www.twitter.com/ryanpfeil . By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil MailTribune.com By Ryan Pfeil Mail Tribune Follow @@RyanPfeil Posted Jun. 18, 2016 at 10:03 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501