La Niña is a climate phenomenon in which sea-surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean become cooler than usual, influencing atmospheric circulation and weather patterns around the world.
La Niña is the cool phase of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). It is generally associated with stronger-than-usual easterly trade winds, which help move warm surface water toward the western Pacific and allow cooler water to rise toward the surface in parts of the eastern Pacific.
La Niña can change rainfall, temperature, and storm patterns across different regions. Some areas may experience increased rainfall and flooding, while others may face drier conditions. The effects vary with the time of year, location, and strength of the event.
Although La Niña can temporarily lower global average temperatures compared with an El Niño year, it does not reverse global warming. Long-term warming can continue during La Niña conditions.
QUICK FACT
La Niña and El Niño can influence the same region in different ways, but their impacts are not always exact opposites.
COMMONLY CONFUSED WITH
- El Niño: The warm phase of ENSO.
- ENSO-neutral: Conditions in which neither El Niño nor La Niña is present.
- Global warming: A long-term increase in Earth’s average surface temperature, primarily driven by human-caused greenhouse gas emissions.
SEE ALSO