We look to be headed into La Nina. What does a La Nina year mean for me?
During La Niña events, trade winds are even stronger than usual, pushing more warm water toward Asia. Off the west coast of the Americas, upwelling increases, bringing cold, nutrient-rich water to the surface.
These cold waters in the Pacific push the jet stream northward. This tends to lead to drought in the southern U.S. and heavy rains and flooding in the Pacific Northwest and Canada. During a La Niña year, winter temperatures are warmer than normal in the South and cooler than normal in the North. La Niña can also lead to a more severe hurricane season.
Source: NOAA
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NOAA Climate Prediction Center Forecast Maps
Click on any image to expand. These were updated as of 03/21/2024
Dec - Jan - Feb (25)
Jan - Feb - Mar (25)
Feb - Mar - Apr (25)
Mar - Apr - May (25)
Apr - May - Jun
May - Jun - Jul (25)
Jun - Jul - Aug (25)
Jul - Aug - Sep (25)
Aug - Sep - Oct (25)
Sep - Oct - Nov (25)
Oct - Nov - Dec (25)
Nov- Dec- Jan (26)
Cooling Waters
By influencing global temperatures and precipitation, the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) significantly impacts Earth’s ecosystems and human societies. El Niño and La Niña are opposite extremes of the ENSO, which refers to cyclical environmental conditions that occur across the Equatorial Pacific Ocean. These changes are due to natural interactions between the ocean and atmosphere. Sea surface temperature, rainfall, air pressure, atmospheric and ocean circulation all influence each other.
Source: NOAA