Weather Phenomenon La Nina: According to weather experts, a weather phenomenon associated with harsher winters is likely to have a significant impact on the climate of India. The temperature in North India could drop to as low as 3 degrees Celsius due to La Nina.
As per the prediction of forecasters, January and February will be particularly cold and after that, the temperature will recover, a report in Bloomberg stated.
It also stated that La Nina appears to have formed throughout the equatorial Pacific. This will set the stage for worsening droughts in California and South America, frigid winters in parts of the U.S. and Japan. It will also increase threats to the world's already stressed energy and food supply.
About La Nina
In Spanish, La Nina means Little Girl. It is a weather pattern that occurs in the Pacific Ocean. In this pattern, trade winds are even stronger than usual and push more warm water toward Asia. Upwelling increases off the west coast of America, which brings cold and nutrient-rich water to the surface. These cold waters in the Pacific push the jet stream northward.
This led to drought in the southern U.S and heavy rains and floods occurring in the Pacific North-West and Canada. During the La Nina year, the temperature of winter is warmer than normal in the South and on the other hand cooler than normal in the North.
Together, La Nina (cold) and El Nino (warm) are the phases of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). A series of linked weather and ocean-related phenomena is ENSO. It is also characterised by changes in atmospheric pressure.
What are the differences between El Nino and La Nina?
What happens when La Nina occurs?
According to NOAA, the phenomenon occurs when weather conditions interact with trade winds, which are the permanent east-to-west prevailing winds that flow in the equatorial region of the Earth.
When Pacific Ocean conditions are normal then trade winds transport warm water from South America to Asia. Coldwater rises from the depths to replace that warm water and is known as upwelling.
One of the two opposing climate phenomena that breaks these normal conditions is called La Nina or El Viejo.
Strong currents occur during La Nina
During an anti-El-Nino or La Nina, trade winds are significantly stronger and push more warm water toward Asia as per NOAA. Therefore, upwelling off the west coast of America increases and brings cold, nutrient-rich water to the surface.
The jet stream is being pushed northward by cold waters in the Pacific. According to NOAA, La Nina could contribute to a more severe hurricane season. This type of environment supports more marine life and also attracts more cold-water species.
Duration of these weather phenomenon
La Nina episodes usually last nine to twelve months, but sometimes can extend for years. On average, such phenomena occur every two to seven years but they do not happen regularly. As compared to La Nina, El Nino occurs more frequently.
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