Meteorologists are seeing a warming trend in the Pacific Ocean. Experts say odds are good that we’ll see a moderate El Niño weather pattern this fall and winter.

El Niño is characterized by warmer than normal ocean temperatures in the Pacific, which can impact weather patterns on a global scale.

Here in Arizona, it often translates to more rain and snow in the fall and winter months.

Carl Cerniglia is with the National Weather Service. He says while ocean temperatures did cool slightly over the summer, chances are still good that the system will develop.

"It seems to be playing out the way some of the models have shown, and a lot of those models have us back up to a moderate El Niño for the core winter months. So it’s looking promising," Cerniglia said.

Cerniglia adds that scientists will get a better idea of the weather pattern's strength over the next month.