Developing ocean-atmospheric phenomenon will influence our weather in the coming months
Ashley Nelis Thu 22 Oct 2020
Streets in Jakarta covered with water as heavy rain hit the Indonesian capital. La Niña tends to cause extreme weather in the Indonesian archipelago. Photograph: Donal Husni/Zuma Wire/Rex/Shutterstock
There is a phenomenon developing in the Pacific Ocean that will be the cause of many weather events over the coming months. Its name: La Niña.
La Niña is an ocean-atmospheric coupled phenomenon occurring every few years where sea surface temperatures in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean are below normal. Stronger than normal trade winds across the central Pacific advect warmer sea surface temperatures into the far west Pacific towards Indonesia. This encourages strong upwelling of the typically colder waters along the west coast of South America, later extending into the central Pacific.
These changes in sea surface temperatures couple with the atmospheric circulation, bringing changes to weather patterns around the globe. La Niña often brings increased rainfall and tropical storms across Australia and a stronger than normal monsoon in south-east Asia. Additionally, it brings colder and snowier winters to Canada and drought to the southern states of the US.
The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, the most active on record, can also be attributed to the La Niña conditions in the Pacific. While La Niña does not directly impact weather conditions here in the UK, it does influence our jet stream and is often associated with more frequent episodes of colder weather during the late autumn and early winter.
There is a phenomenon developing in the Pacific Ocean that will be the cause of many weather events over the coming months. Its name: La Niña.
La Niña is an ocean-atmospheric coupled phenomenon occurring every few years where sea surface temperatures in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean are below normal. Stronger than normal trade winds across the central Pacific advect warmer sea surface temperatures into the far west Pacific towards Indonesia. This encourages strong upwelling of the typically colder waters along the west coast of South America, later extending into the central Pacific.
These changes in sea surface temperatures couple with the atmospheric circulation, bringing changes to weather patterns around the globe. La Niña often brings increased rainfall and tropical storms across Australia and a stronger than normal monsoon in south-east Asia. Additionally, it brings colder and snowier winters to Canada and drought to the southern states of the US.
The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, the most active on record, can also be attributed to the La Niña conditions in the Pacific. While La Niña does not directly impact weather conditions here in the UK, it does influence our jet stream and is often associated with more frequent episodes of colder weather during the late autumn and early winter.
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