Generally speaking El Niño brings:

• cooler and wetter weather to the southern United States
• warmer weather to western Canada and southern Alaska
• drier weather to the Pacific Northwest
• cooler weather to northern Canada
• wetter weather to southern California

These effects are felt strongest in the winter after onset of the event.

The Atlantic hurricane season is usually diminished during El Niño, while the tornado season is more active.

The following animations will show the temperature (in Celcius) and precipitation (in centimeters) departure from normal over the entire North American continent.

The time starts from the fall season after onset (OND) on through the following summer (JAS).

Canada:

    Western Canada has lower heating bills during an El Niño.
    There is reduced risk of spring flooding due to the lower amounts of snow.
    Fisheries have greater return on sockeye salmon, navigating further north with the warmer coastal water.
    More icebergs impeding travel on the eastern seaboard.
    Ski areas are effected by the mild weather.
    Thin ice on the Great Lakes poses a hazard.
    Landslides, storms, and flooding in British Columbia.

    Storms, flooding, and landslides in Southern California
    Crop damage in California
    Northern US ski industry suffers from lack of snow
    Heavy precipitation cause flooding and damage in Gulf states
    Reduction in crops the following summer such as corn, soybeans, sorghum, and tobacco.
    Lower heating bills in the northern US
    Pacific Northwest fisheries experience a decline in the size and numbers of salmon.

Mexico and Central America:

    High runoff in northern Mexico
    Wild fires to the south