Welcome to La Nada. After nearly two years, the La Nina that has been present in the Pacific Ocean has finally ended.
In simple terms, a La Nina is the term used to describe a period when the waters in the equatorial Pacific Ocean have temperatures that are cooler than average. The opposite extreme is an El Nino when the waters in the equatorial Pacific Ocean are warmer than average.
That fluctuation between warmer and cooler waters is referred to as the El Nino Southern Oscillation, or ENSO for short. ENSO is not only a measure of sea surface temperatures but also of atmospheric pressure differences across the ocean. When neither a La Nina nor El Nino is present, it is commonly referred to as a La Nada.
At this time, it appears that a La Nada, or neutral conditions will continue to be present at least through the end of the summer, and by autumn a weak El Nino may be present.
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