That much awaited La Nina has arrived. While the La Nina conditions are present, they are weak as per scientists. La Nina, is expected to be short lived and will only last for a few months, probably until the month of February.
La Nina occurs when sea temperatures are cooler than average in the Equatorial Pacific. Due to this, changes in the atmosphere take place. The position of the Pacific jet stream which is responsible for influencing weather patterns across the globe gets impacted due to the ocean-atmosphere coupling.
Due to the presence of this weak La Nina, the wintry conditions in the United States are likely to be affected. Sadly, the ongoing drought conditions in the Southern parts of the United States including California are likely to get even worse during the winter season. The southern plains, as well as, the southeast regions will also observe dry weather conditions.
The Pacific Northwest is expected to witness far more wetter conditions than it usually does, all thanks to La Nina. The effects of La Nina will be less in New England due to factors including North Atlantic and Arctic Oscillations.
Areas including the Great Lakes region, Rockies, Western Alaska and Hawaii will also observe wetter winter as compared to last year. The prevailing La Nina has occurred after one of the strongest El Niño on record.
Image and Story Credit: NOAA
