According to meteorologists, a “record El Niño” is brewing out in the Pacific Ocean as we speak. In fact, it’s already starting to affect weather around the world. KTBS 3 has the story:
"May 2014 was the third warmest May in the 35-year satellite-measured global temperature record, and the warmest May that wasn’t during an El Niño Pacific Ocean warming event, according to Dr. John Christy, a professor of atmospheric science and director of the Earth System Science Center at The University of Alabama in Huntsville. The global average temperature for May was 0.33 C (about 0.59 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than seasonal norms for the month. The warmest May was in 1998, during the “El Niño of the century.”
While May 2014 was not officially an El Niño month, indications are that an El Niño is forming in the eastern central Pacific off the equatorial coast of South America. Even if that El Niño is nothing spectacular, it might become a record setter simply because it is getting a warmer start, Christy said."
El Niño has a nasty habit of messing with normal weather patterns. More often than not, it causes opposite weather. Instead of the usual wet weather Shreveport sees, a massive El Niño can ramp up the average temperature by more than a few degrees.
The potential rise in temperature can only make the summer heat that much more unbearable. As such, now would be the perfect time to check if air conditioning in Shreveport is up to the task of cooling homes. If you have yet to check your air conditioning system, here are a few reminders to help you:
Change the Filters
When too much dust accumulates in your AC’s filter, air flow is reduced, which significantly weakens the cooling capacity of your AC system. Change your filter before temperatures begin to climb. Ideally, you should replace the filter every month.
Clean the Condenser
The condenser seems to attract debris like a magnet attracts metal, especially when it’s too close to shrubs and other plants. You can pick out leaves and twigs with your hands. You may hose down mud, lint, and cobwebs, but be careful not to bend the fins or drench the electrical components.
To do the things mentioned above, you’ll have to open up your unit. If you see any bent fins, bluish-green corrosion, or any other suspicious signs, call a trusted Shreveport, LA air conditioning repair contractor like AccuTemp Cooling and Heating to come and take a look at your unit and make any necessary repairs. The last thing you want to happen is for your air conditioner to break down just as El Niño starts paying everyone a visit.
(Source: Third warmest May across the globe could lead to record El Niño; KTBS 3; June 12, 2014)
