Current La Niña phenomenon is weaker than expected - climatologists
Kyiv • UNN
A new climatic phenomenon, La Niña, has begun in the Pacific Ocean, which will be shorter and weaker than the previous ones. The phenomenon may cause an increase in precipitation in South America and increase hurricane activity in the Atlantic.
The climate phenomenon of La Niña has begun to develop in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced. According to climatologists, this year's weather phenomenon is likely to be shorter and weaker than usual, UNN reports with reference to Euronews.
Details
La Niña occurs regularly in the South Pacific Ocean when a steady easterly wind drives warm water from the coasts of Peru and Chile toward Indonesia and Australia. As a result, cold water rises to the surface from the sea depths, and the region experiences a cold snap.
Meteorologists told the AP that the northern parts of South America may receive more precipitation than usual due to La Niña. La Niña also contributes to an increase in hurricane activity in the Atlantic Ocean.
However, according to experts, the current La Niña came later than expected and did not have time to gain strength before the onset of winter. Scientists believe that La Niña will last until April and will not be included in the official observation history if it ends by March.
The Earth experienced three consecutive La Niña phenomena between 2020 and 2023. "We've had three consecutive winters with La Niña conditions, which is unusual because the only time that happened was in 1973-1976," said Michel L'Heureux, a climate scientist at NOAA.
"La Niña tends to last longer and recur more often than El Niño," the expert noted.
Ben Cook, a climatologist at the Goddard Institute for Space Studies, warned that the frequency of La Niña events could put additional stress on regions that have recently struggled with drought, such as East Africa.
Addendum
El Niño and La Niña are two opposing climatic phenomena in the Pacific Ocean that affect weather around the world. The trade winds in the Pacific Ocean typically blow from east to west, pushing warm surface waters toward the western ocean.
El Niño occurs when these winds weaken or change direction, causing the waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean - off the coasts of North and South America - to become warmer than usual.
During La Niña, the east-west trade winds strengthen, and warm waters move further west to the coasts of Australia and Southeast Asia. This leads to the "rise" of cold water from the ocean depths, causing sea surface temperatures to become colder on average, especially in North and South America.
Episodes occur periodically every two to seven years and usually last from nine to 12 months.
Both El Niño and La Niña can affect weather patterns around the world. Although each episode is different, La Niña is associated with rainy weather conditions in some parts of the world, such as northern Australia, southeast Africa, and northern Brazil. In addition, some regions may experience increased flooding and a more intense hurricane season.
