May 2026 SW Climate Podcast - Super? Mega? Weird: El Niño & Monsoon

Recorded 05/15/2026, Aired 05/19/2026 In this month’s Southwest Climate Podcast, hosts Zack Guido and Mike Crimmins answer what a strong El Niño could mean for the monsoon.  They do a quick recap of the first half of May.  And then it’s off to the races with a look at: sea surface temperatures in the Pacific, ONI vs. RONI, ENSO’s scientific history, monsoon and its interaction with East Pacific tropical activity, then finally a winter preview.  Should be a fun and interesting few seasons to watch unfold! Also, Zack gives a plug for the Monsoon Fantasy Forecast Game which will include a new weekly tournament feature this year. Mentions NOAA CPC - ENSO Strength Probabilities   Tropical Tidbits   WebberWeather   NOAA CPC - Outlooks   Google - Weather Lab: Cyclones    Paper “North American Monsoon Response to Antecedent Soil Moisture and Snow in the Colorado Plateau”   Paper “Tropical Ocean Contributions to California’s Surprisingly Dry El Niño of 2015/16”