The weather phenomenon La Niña occurs for the third year in a row. This could favor droughts and violent storms in some regions.
Kassel – Lots of rain and colorful leaves on the streets: autumn has now arrived in Germany. Temperatures have dropped significantly. Meteorologists are now daring to make forecasts for the coming months. A rare weather phenomenon was confirmed.
Experts point out that the weather event La Niña has occurred for the third year in a row. But what impact does this have on the climate?
Unusual Weather Phenomenon: La Niña occurs three years in a row
Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has confirmed the unusual occurrence of three consecutive La Niña years. This has only happened twice since records began in 1950. The phenomenon could impact global weather events in the coming months, daswetter.com reported. Last year, the La Niña winter was also noticeable in Germany.
“To have a La Niña event for three consecutive years is extraordinary. Its cooling influence is temporarily slowing the rise in global temperatures – but it will not halt or reverse the long-term warming trend,” said Petteri Taalas, secretary-general of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in late August. “The worsening droughts in the Horn of Africa and southern South America bear the hallmarks of La Niña, as does the above-average rainfall in Southeast Asia and Australasia.”
La Niña is a recurring weather phenomenon that can massively affect climate around the world. These are temperature fluctuations that occur in the central and eastern Pacific near the equator. The sea surface cools down. This phenomenon can occur about every two to seven years. In contrast, the El Niño phenomenon is more likely to occur in summer, and has the opposite effect: El Niño is more likely to cause temperatures to rise. It is considered likely that climate change will intensify the effects of weather phenomena.
Weather: La Niña could favor drought and violent storms
Cooling from La Niña could trigger droughts in some parts of the world in the coming months. In other regions, however, there could be violent storms. According to the weather portal, the cooling is sometimes 5 degrees Celsius below normal.
| region | La Niña Effects |
|---|---|
| western pacific | Water on the surface is getting warmer, more rain on Australia’s north east coast |
| South East Asia | Heavy rain, landslides, floods |
| South America | Little precipitation, drought |
| North America | Hurricanes are favored |
According to the BoM, the weather event this year will be “weak to moderately strong”. It is said to peak in spring in the southern hemisphere and then subside in summer. La Niña is primarily leading to changes in “wind, cloud and pressure patterns over the Pacific,” said Andrew Watkins, director of long-term weather forecasts at BoM. “When these changes in the atmosphere combine with changes in ocean temperatures, they can affect global weather patterns and climate.”
Weather in Germany: Icy late autumn and early winter possible
And how does the weather phenomenon affect Germany? As in previous La Niña years, icy cold in late autumn and early winter is possible, reports daswetter.com . The background is that Atlantic weather systems, which usually deliver mild air, would be blocked.
On the other hand, the weather could be milder in late winter, “when La Niña drives the jet stream closer to the North Pole,” according to the weather portal. However, this could also lead to storms and more precipitation. According to the WMO, the phenomenon should last at least until the end of the year. (cheese)
