In the May 2015 Southwest Climate Podcast, Zack Guido and Mike Crimmins reconvene to talk about the Winter patterns that fed into our current situation, and how it has actually been pretty moist and cool (for this time of year) after a very warm winter. They then turn back to El Niño - which despite being hard to predict, forecast, or describe - has given us a lot to think about in terms of how this spring is similar to last year in some respects, but very different from 2014 in others. They exercise some warranted caution in putting too much stock in forecasts given the "excitement" surrounding a strong El Niño event, but the patterns in place are suggesting this enthusiasm might not be misplaced. They move on to talk about how El Niño may affect tropical storm activity and monsoon patterns looking into Summer and Fall 2015, as well as the impacts of last year's monsoon (and this springs mild weather) on fire season. Drought and water availaiblity present a less optimistic scenario, however - as below average winter precipitation and above average winter temperatures for most of the west mean snowpack is well below average going into the summer, with implications for water storage and availability.