La Niña returns this fall

COLUMBUS, Ga.- On Thursday afternoon, the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) issued a La Niña Watch for the Northern Hemisphere.

What is La Niña? La Niña occurs when the ocean temperatures begin to cool across the Pacific Ocean. This change in temperature affects the tropical rainfall pattern. Click right on the pictures below to see how the La Niña forms.

What does the watch mean? According the CPC, a La Niña watch is “issued when conditions are favorable for the development of El Niño or La Niña conditions within the next six months”. That does not mean they are certain. The Climate Prediction Center says that brief La Niña conditions are possible in fall and early winter.

How does La Niña affect our forecast? La Niña typically brings a warmer and drier season to the Southeast, but more rain to the northwest. During El Niño, the opposite is true. The southeast is seeing a cooler and wetter season, and the northwest experiences drier conditions. La Niña also plays a roll in severe weather, with more active weather reported during La Niña.