"December 2015 – February 2016 rain and snow patterns, shown as the difference from the long-term mean. Climate.gov figure from CPC data." - NOAA, yesterday — “December 2015 – February 2016 rain and snow patterns, shown as the difference from the long-term mean. Climate.gov figure from CPC data.” – NOAA, yesterday

El Nino most decidedly didn’t do what NOAA and everyone forecast it would do. El Nino was supposed to bring above average precipitation to the lower half of the USA and below average precipitation to the upper half.

NOAA’s Forecast for 2015/16 Strong El Nino:

“Wetter-than-average conditions most likely in the Southern Tier of the United States, from central and southern California, across Texas, to Florida, and up the East Coast to southern New England. Above-average precipitation is also favored in southeastern Alaska.
Drier-than-average conditions most likely for Hawaii, central and western Alaska, parts of the Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies, and for areas near the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley.” – NOAA, October 2015

That is exactly what did NOT happen. Instead, the PNW – who was supposed to have low precipitation and high temperatures – got well above average precipitation to date and above average snowfall to date (520″ already at Mt. Baker, WA).

The southwest has received right around average precipitation to date and well below average snowfall to date with 6 regions in AZ reporting only 0-8% of average snowpack to date.