The National Weather Service said it expects the El Ni?o climate effect, which weakens hurricane activity, to last into the spring of next year, creating wetter than normal weather for some U.S. regions.

"Currently, weak El Ni?o conditions exist, but there is a potential for this event to strengthen into a moderate event by winter," said Vernon Kousky, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's lead El Ni?o forecaster, in a statement.

The Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center, in its weekly report, said a typical El Ni?o effect is likely to develop over North America over the winter season.

It said warmer than average temperatures are in store over the western and northern United States. Wetter than average conditions will be experienced over parts of the Gulf Coast and Florida, while drier than average conditions are predicted for the Ohio valley and the Pacific Northwest, the Service said.

Western and central Canada will experience warmer than average temperatures.

Globally, the report continued, November through March will be drier than average over most of Malaysia, Indonesia, some islands in the tropical North Pacific, northern South America and southeastern Africa.

Equatorial East Africa, central South America and the coasts of Ecuador and Northern Peru could experience wetter than average conditions.

The current El Ni?o pattern is expected to last into April or May of 2007.

Last month, the National Hurricane Center, part of NOAA, said there were four hurricanes in the Atlantic: Florence, Gordon, Helene and Isaac. While none struck the U.S. during the month, Ernesto, which formed in August, reached North Carolina as a tropical storm.

There have been a total of nine named storms so far this hurricane season, which ends Nov. 30.

Special Reports /

El Ni?o Expected To Last Into Next Year

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