Hi there, this is Ranger Haley with Grand Canyon’s Winter Weather Podcast on December 29th, 2008. For Grand Canyon visitors and residents, the most anticipated winter visitor isn’t Santa Clause: it’s El Nino. The big question on everybody’s lips is "will this be an El Nino winter?" The weather phenomenon El Nino has become big news since the epically destructive winter of 1997, but this little fellah has been around for much longer. El Nino was first recognized by indigenous Peruvians centuries ago. Every few years, right around Christmas, coastal Peruvians are visited by a warm tide that brings a welcome break from frigid ocean temperatures and is often accompanied by heavy rains followed by bountiful crops. In 1957, oceanographers realized that this little Peruvian tide was actually a pretty big deal. These scientists documented El Nino’s warm waters stretching nearly all the way across the Pacific Ocean, creating a pool of warm water that was larger than the entire United States! Meteorologists snapped to attention, because the ocean and the atmosphere are intrinsically linked. Warm waters lead to thunderstorms, and El Nino’s massive oceanic warming creates a thick band of heavy storms across the tropical Pacific. These storms in the Pacific have the power to alter weather patterns around the globe. Imagine a creek running smoothly with no obstacles in its path: that’s how the atmosphere normally functions. But if you throw a big rock into that creek, the water will have to divert around the obstacle, creating ripples downstream. The El Nino tropical thunderstorms act like that rock and create atmospheric ripples that are felt around the world. So, how does El Nino affect Grand Canyon? El Nino strengthens the jet stream running across Northern Arizona, leading to longer storm periods, and both wetter and warmer winters, such as the infamous winter of 1997 in which the nearby city of Flagstaff recorded over 136 inches of snow. Well, will El Nino be visiting Grand Canyon this winter? The National Weather Service says No: he’s staying out of town. Oceanic temperatures in the Pacific are actually slightly colder than normal, suggesting that if anything, this winter will be a bit on the cold and dry side. Still, El Nino or not, the South Rim of the Grand Canyon stands at 7,000 ft in elevation, and even in our driest winter years, we still receive plenty of snow and ice. Anyone visiting the Grand Canyon between now and April should be prepared for winter conditions. Dress in warm, waterproof layers, including a hat, and think about using instep crampons to help navigate icy sidewalks, parking lots, and trails. Because, even though El Nino isn’t expected this year, snow storms and cold temperatures always visit Grand Canyon. This has been Ranger Haley with your Winter Weather Podcast, wishing you a warm and cozy Grand Canyon vacation. read less