NOAA Announces End of La Niña, Neutral Conditions Expected Through Early Summer in Northern Hemisphere

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced on Thursday that La Niña, a weather pattern that increases hurricane activity and worsens western drought, has officially ended. The NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center said that neutral conditions are now in place and are expected to last through early summer in the Northern Hemisphere.

This is the first time since the initial La Niña advisory was issued in September 2020 that neutral conditions have been in place. La Niña is usually in place for nine months, but this time it lasted for three consecutive years, making it a rare “triple dip”.

The neutral conditions are expected to continue in the Northern Hemisphere through spring and early summer. This could mean a less active Atlantic hurricane season, a more active season in the Pacific, and another spike in global temperatures, according to forecasters.

El Niño is also expected to increase the chance for early spring conditions across the southern U.S. El Niño is a weather pattern that is characterized by warmer than average ocean temperatures in the equatorial Pacific. It is the opposite of La Niña, which is characterized by cooler than average ocean temperatures in the equatorial Pacific.

The NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center will continue to monitor the conditions in the Northern Hemisphere and provide updates as needed.