Forecasters Say One of the Largest El Nino’s Could Impact the World. What Does This Mean for the Hudson Valley?

One of recorded history's largest and most significant El Nino's could have quite an effect on the world later this fall or early winter.

Climatologists described the developing weather pattern as a "Godzilla El Niño". The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center told CBS News on Thursday that rapidly warming ocean waters nearing North and South America could bring some much-needed rain to California and the west coast.

An El Nino is created when the equatorial waters of the Pacific Ocean warm significantly. How could this effect weather this winter in the Eastern United States? Past El Nino's have usually lead to slightly warmer, rainier winters in the Northeast. Could this mean a milder winter? This could be welcome relief after the last two brutal winters the Hudson Valley had to endure.

Powerful storms and torrential rains are expected to hit the California coast, which could bring some relief after the region has endured a record breaking drought for the past five years. While that could help with the drought, the flash flooding poses quite a problem as well. A powerful 1997-1998 El Nino caused more than $4 billion dollars in damage and killed 189 people nationwide.