El Niño - Is it Super?

El Niño influences weather around the world, bringing torrential rain, flooding, more atmospheric rivers along the West Coast, mudslides, severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, coastal erosion from larger waves, and even severe droughts that worsen wildfires. Retired National Weather Service meteorologist and Bend resident Kent Prochazka explores the oceanic dynamics of El Niño and La Niña and their effects on the Pacific Ocean and atmosphere. He also considers the current Super El Niño and its impacts on the hurricane season, as well as rainfall, temperatures, and snowfall here in the Pacific Northwest. What can we expect for the remainder of spring? What about next summer and fall? Could another Super El Niño develop? Let’s find out! About the Presenter: Kent Prochazka is a retired National Weather Service meteorologist whose career spans forecasting, radar meteorology, and emergency response. He began at the National Meteorological Center in Washington, D.C., monitoring ocean weather and oceanographic data. Later, in Houston, he served as a lead forecaster, radar meteorologist, and incident meteorologist, while also teaching at Texas A&M University and numerous fire academies. Now a Bend resident, Kent is a member of OLLI-UO in Central Oregon. About OLLI: The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of Oregon (OLLI-UO) in Central Oregon invites community members to participate in our Friday Talks in partnership with the Deschutes Public Library. OLLI-UO is an intellectual and social community of engaged adult learners, connecting members to university faculty and professionals in respective fields. A six-month or yearlong membership allows participation in a variety of lectures, courses, peer-led study and discussion groups, educational tours, field trips, and social events. Questions? Contact lizg@deschuteslibrary.org