Introduction
The Hype
The Impacts
Interactive Timeline
La Niņa
> What is it?
> It's effects
Prediction Methods
The Preparation
About the Site
Archives
Search
Learn Anything?
Forum
______________________
La Niņa
It's Effects
La Niņa features colder than normal sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific
Ocean. La Niņa often implies drier than normal conditions in the Southwest in late
summer, the Southwest and central Plains in the fall and the Southwest and Southeast in
the winter.
In contrast, the Pacific Northwest is likely to be wetter than normal in the late fall and
early winter with the presence of a well-established La Niņa.
Temperature wise, La Niņa winters are usually warmer than normal in the Southeast and
colder than normal in the Northwest.
La Niņa can bring a wet and cold early winter to the Northwest US, a something skiiers
want to hear.
The long-term climate outlook issued by NOAA this week calls for warm and dry conditions
in the Southwest during July, August and September, and continuing through the fall and
winter. This is of particular concern because the area encompassing Arizona, New Mexico
and much of Texas is already quite dry.
The Gulf Coast states to east of Texas, also currently quite dry, are forecast to have
normal chances of precipitation in the summer months.
According NOAA , cool conditions will prevail during the next three months in the northern
Great Plains. Dry conditions are expected for interior Washington and Oregon during that
time. The dryness forecast for the Southwest is expected to also extend into the central
Great Plains in the fall and later into the Southeast in the late fall and winter.
Researchers from Texas Tech University say current drought conditions across the southern
region of the United States may continue straight through the winter months, meaning less
chance of rain, dried-up farm fields and dismal prospects for 1999 agricultural crops. The
main reason: La Niņa.
La Niņa's effect could mean an economic diaster for the southern US.
The sister of El Niņo, La Niņa will have an opposite effect on southern states than El
Niņo, making for the potential of an economic disaster.
Warmer and dryer are not what the south needs at this point. With very little rain during
the past few months, conditions for farmers are worsening by the day while the potential
for wildfires, like the ones in Florida, continues to grow. The warmer and dryer
conditions also affect the average person who is trying to keep his or her lawn or garden
in top-notch shape.
One hope for rain is the effect La Niņa could have on this year's hurricane season. The
cooling of the eastern Pacific Ocean by La Niņa could make for a severe hurricane season
along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts. For southeast states along the Atlantic Ocean that may
be a bittersweet pill to swallow. However, the last hurricane that blew into the Gulf of
Mexico and affected Texas and adjacent states was Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, meaning as
always, the possibility is slim to none.
Sign up for the El Niņo Newsletter
Sign up for our El Niņo newsletter which will contain the
most updated information about La Niņa. The 1998-99 La Niņa is predicted to be quite
strong. Thus, if you live in any of the areas that have been affected by El Niņo or will
be affected by La Niņa, sign up for our newsletter to receive the most updated
information including links to where you can find more information. If you wish, let us
know at 20901@advanced.org , and we will mail a different language version of our
newsletter just for you. (The default version is English.)
This newsletter will also contain other information such as new posts to our message
forums and upcoming Chat Events. So...what are you waiting for...sign
up.
Previous Section: What is La Niņa?