They might not have a choice this winter, but forecasters say El Nino might not have the energy to live up to its dry personality anyway.

While the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center forecasted an El Nino weather system for this winter, NWS meteorologist Johnny Burg says that forecast now calls for a weak El Nino or perhaps a neutral winter.

In La Nina winters, the Northwest tends to experience colder and wetter weather, typically meaning plenty of snow in the mountains. Back-to-back La Ninas kept skiers knee deep in powder the last two years.

During El Nino winters, temperatures are usually warmer and drier, resulting in less snow.

Burg said the current prediction of a weak El Nino means it’s almost “50-50 that winter weather will be warmer than normal.”

While this news might not be as good as a La Nina forecast, ski areas are still rejoicing. “Although,” Burg said, “keep in mind that long-range forecasts are not always correct.”

Still, John Gifford, new president of the Pacific Northwest Ski Area Association, is ecstatic at the prospect of a normal winter.

Gifford, former general manager of Stevens Pass, heard the news on a popular weather blog maintained by University of Washington professor Cliff Mass.

“The best part,” Gifford said, “was that he said it was OK for skiers and snowboarders to get a season pass.”

Guy Lawrence, marketing director of the Summit at Snoqualmie, couldn’t agree more.

“Essentially it looks we’re going to have a good winter,” Lawrence said, “but we’re going to have to put up with a few pineapples (stretches of warmer, rainy weather. … It’s better than a full-strength El Nino.”

The U.S. Coast Guard and National Weather Service have develop a website to provide coastal boaters with weather and Coast Guard observations to evaluate bar restrictions and conditions.

You can access the website by clicking here.

The website gives boaters a place to not only see the entrance or bar through updated camera images, but also the Coast Guard’s evaluation of the bar conditions and any restrictions that may be in place.

“This is an excellent tool for the mariner”, Dan Shipman, recreational boating safety specialist for the 13th Coast Guard District in Seattle, said in a prepared statement. “Mariners can use this report, as well as tidal and other weather information to evaluate sea conditions to assist them in making a decision on their safety and ability to cross a coastal bar.”

Prior to the creation of the website, boaters had to rely on getting this information via a recorded phone message, scheduled Notice to Mariners safety information broadcasts or through a low power AM radio broadcast on channel 1610 in the local harbor areas. While these methods of notification will still operate, the website allows boaters to get the information in virtually any location. The website also contains important links to other National Weather Service information.

Although this information is provided to help a mariner make sound decisions it is not a substitute for experience, Shipman said. The Coast Guard urges all mariners to take a boater education course and wear a Coast Guard approved lifejacket when crossing coastal river entrances.