If La Nina Persists, Expect More Drought and Flooding

The climate phenomenon known as La Nina sets off a chain reaction among weather patterns the world over. That can lead to more drought in some places even as it produces flooding and hurricanes in others. La Nina occurs when the surface of the Pacific Ocean along the equator cools and the atmosphere above it reacts. Typically, it happens once every few years. However, the persistence of the most recent case poses the likelihood that the Northern Hemisphere will see its third La Nina winter in a row, a rarity.

Since 1950, according to US records, a La Nina in three consecutive years has occurred only twice, in the periods 1998-2001 and 1973-1976. As far as anyone knows there has never been a four-time La Nina, so forecasters believe the current one will fade in early 2023 after it peaks.