FORECASTERS: EL NINO TO ALTER WEATHER AGAIN

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, January 14, 1992                   TAG: 9201140209
SECTION: NATIONAL                    PAGE: A2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: WASHINGTON                                LENGTH: Short
FORECASTERS: EL NINO TO ALTER WEATHER AGAIN
A massive pool of warm ocean water is causing changes in the atmosphere that could produce unusual weather around the world in the next few months, the National Weather Service reported Monday.
Because of this phenomenon, known as El Nino, more rain than normal is likely this winter in Texas and along the Gulf and Southeast coasts, said Ed O'Lenic of the federal Climate Analysis Center.
In addition, he said warmer-than-normal weather seems likely over the Midwest through March, while the Southeast will probably be colder than usual for the season.
The Northwest and Ohio Valley should be drier than normal, O'Lenic said.
The Northeast likely will be warmer than normal except in Rhode Island, Connecticut, Cape Cod and a part of New York.
The extremely wet weather in Texas and California in recent weeks is typical of an El Nino. O'Lenic declined to blame specific storms on the El Nino, though he said it helps create the conditions that foster the storms.
- Associated Press

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB