La Niña Goes Stealth as Weather Patterns Shift Under the Radar
Forecasters are monitoring La Niña’s subtle effects on weather patterns, hinting at a potential winter impact.
La Niña, El Niño, Pacific Ocean, Canada, Weather Patterns
Toronto: So, it looks like La Niña is sneaking in without much fanfare. Forecasters are keeping an eye on the Pacific Ocean, where things are starting to shift. They think we might see La Niña show up this winter, even if it’s not officially declared yet.
The U.S. Climate Prediction Center just dropped its monthly outlook, saying there’s a 59% chance La Niña will develop by January 2025. But here’s the kicker: the atmosphere is already behaving like we’re in a La Niña phase.
La Niña happens when the ocean waters in the eastern Pacific are cooler than usual for about seven months. This can really shake up weather patterns worldwide. In Canada, it usually means cooler winters for the west and some wild weather in the east.
Even though the sea surface temperatures haven’t hit the magic numbers yet, other signs are pointing to La Niña being in play. Trade winds and rainfall patterns are already acting like we’re in it. It’s a bit of a head-scratcher, but that’s how weather works sometimes.
La Niña and El Niño are part of a bigger cycle called the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). It’s all about how the ocean and atmosphere interact. Even if we’re not officially in La Niña yet, the signs are there, and it’s definitely influencing our weather.