The climatic phenomenon of La Niña, which began last December and is generally associated with colder temperatures worldwide, is likely to be short-lived and may end before June, according to a new forecast from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) based in Geneva.
The WMO pointed out that there is a 60% chance that La Niña will come to an end and transition to a neutral period between March and May, a figure that rises to 70% when considering the three months from April to June. Additionally, the agency considers the likelihood of the opposite phenomenon, El Niño, developing during this period to be nearly zero, usually associated with higher temperatures in many regions of the planet.
La Niña, which arises due to the decrease in water temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, is typically accompanied by changes in tropical atmospheric circulation with winds and rain. The WMO warns that El Niño and La Niña occur alternately, interspersed with neutral periods of varying durations, in a context impacted by global warming caused by human activity.
Despite the current presence of La Niña, last January recorded the warmest month ever measured in records. The WMO's Secretary-General, Celeste Saulo, emphasized the importance of monitoring these climatic phenomena: "They can save millions of dollars in key sectors such as agriculture, energy, and transportation, as well as save thousands of lives by facilitating preparedness for natural disasters."
In the image provided by EFE, the WMO highlights that the phenomenon of La Niña, linked to lower temperatures, could end before June.
