A long-anticipated La Nina has finally emerged, but its intensity is weak and meteorologists indicate it is unlikely to lead to the usual weather challenges typically associated with this phenomenon.
La Nina, which contrasts with the more widely known El Nino, refers to an irregular emergence of significantly colder water in a vital section of the central equatorial Pacific. This phenomenon plays a crucial role in altering weather patterns on a global scale.
Following the conclusion of the previous El Nino in June, forecasters from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) had been predicting the arrival of La Nina for several months. The delay in its onset may have been affected or obscured by the generally warmer conditions of the oceans observed in recent years, according to Michelle L’Heureux, who leads NOAA’s El Nino team.
“The reasons behind this late formation of La Nina are still uncertain, and I’m confident it will become a significant focus for research,” L’Heureux remarked.
Despite the late appearance and relatively weak temperature changes, L’Heureux noted that some global effects have begun to manifest, leading forecasters to make seasonal outlooks based on the emerging La Nina conditions.
In the United States, La Ninas typically result in drier conditions across the South and West regions. Conversely, they tend to induce wetter weather in parts of Indonesia, northern Australia, and southern Africa, according to L’Heureux. Although La Nina usually correlates with an uptick in Atlantic hurricanes during summer, she predicts that this particular La Nina will likely dissipate before summer arrives.
In contrast to La Nina, El Nino usually brings increased rainfall to the United States and raises global temperatures, while La Nina has the opposite effects. Research indicates that droughts associated with La Nina events tend to incur higher costs than weather extremes linked to El Nino.
The preceding La Nina period concluded in 2023, marking an exceptional stretch lasting three years.
