NOAA: "January was the 9th Consecutive Month of a Record Warm Globe"

From NOAA's monthly media briefing: 

Other: Alaska in 3rd consecutive warm winter with no deep cold, statewide.

"Regarding El Nino:

• El Niño is now past its peak intensity in term of SST anomaly values 
• transition to ENSO neutral is anticipated during the late spring or early summer 2016
• Enhanced odds of La Niña are forecast by late summer and early fall" [about 50%;  too soon to make forecasts of how strong a La Nina might be].

Still uncertain if convection from this El Nino will bring record warmth in troposphere.

Drought Outlook: drought to persist in most of Oregon, Idaha, and northern and southern California. Drought to persist in central California but with some improvement.