JPL - El Nino Shifting To La Nina Over Past Two Months - AFP

[hatrack]

New data of sea-level heights from early February, 2007, by the Jason altimetric satellite show that the tropical Pacific Ocean has transitioned from a warm (El Nino) to a cool (La Nina) condition during the prior two months. The beginnings of a possible La Nina are indicated by the blue area (in the center of the image along the equator) of lower than normal sea level (cold water). It is not certain yet if this current cooling trend will eventually evolve into a long-lasting, well-developed La Nina.

"La Nina could send an already parched Western United States to its knees," said JPL oceanographer Dr. Bill Patzert. "In the Southwest, we call La Nina the little lady with the big dry punch."

A La Nina situation often follows an El Nino episode and is essentially the opposite of an El Nino condition. During a La Nina, trade winds are stronger than normal, and the cold water that normally exists along the coast of South America extends to the central equatorial Pacific.

A La Nina situation changes global weather patterns and is associated with less moisture in the air, resulting in less rain along the coasts of North and South America. Jason will continue to track this developing switch in the climate.

EDIT

http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Pacific_Shows_Signs_of_Morphing_From_Warm_El_Nino_To_Cool_La_Nina_999.html

[phantom power]

1. Also expected to intensify the Atlantic hurricane season.

[phantom power]

2. The drought-maps and crop shortfall reports should be "interesting" this year.

"Interesting" in the sense of "makes my breakfast rise into the back of my throat and erode my esophagus"

[Dead_Parrot]

5. Well, remember to keep your mouth shut

You might be glad of that sustenance before long.

[Systematic Chaos]

3. I wonder if this means another scorcher of a summer?

Last summer, for Vegas at least, wasn't bad. I think there were a couple of days up around 115 but other than that it stayed below 110 pretty much all summer long. Contrast that with Summer 2005 when we had an entire week of 116 or higher, with three days in a row of 119. It was almost too hot outside to breathe.

PLEASE, don't let this summer be like 2005.... :cry:

[kestrel91316]

4. Seems to be flipping back and forth between the two extremes

awfully fast these days, don't you think?

Also, El Nino is a wet year sometimes and very dry sometimes (like this year - record breaking drough probably) so the terms are virtually meaningless from a weather standpoint.

I'm about to stop listening altogether when somebody starts talking about the two "children".