La Niña is here! NOAA spots conditions of the weather phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean that has a 75% chance of plaguing the US with hurricanes and droughts through the winter
- NOAA has observed La Niña conditions in the Pacific as of last month
- Surface temperatures dropped to 26.6 egress Fahrenheit over the past weeks
- This weather pattern is known to bring hurricanes and droughts with it
- There is a 75% chance that La Niña will continue through the winter
Parts of the US are battling wildfires, while others are cleaning up after the strongest hurricane to hit in 160 years – but a new report suggests more extreme weather could be on the horizon.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) sent out a warning that La Niña conditions were present in the Pacific Ocean last month and is set to make its way to the US.
This weather phenomenon forms by a build-up of below average cooler water that lowers surface temperatures – experts observed the surface at 26.6 degrees Fahrenheit over the past few weeks.
NOAA says there is a 75 percent chance of La Niña continuing through the Northern hemisphere winter until early 2021, which could bring more hurricanes and droughts to areas.
Scroll down for video
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) sent out a warning that La Niña conditions were present in the Pacific Ocean last month and are set to make its way to the US. The western region could see less rain, while the Atlantic states may be hit with hurricanes
NOAA observed below-average temperatures stretching across the central and eastern regions of the Pacific Ocean in August, along with atmospheric circulation anomalies hanging over the surface – the sure sign La Niña has arrived.
The weather patterns is known to release dry weather in the west, powerful hurricanes in the Atlantic and flooding to other parts of the world like Australia and South America.
Ryan Truchelut, president of Weather Tiger LLC, told Bloomberg: ‘We’re already in a bad position, and La Nina puts us in a situation where fire-weather conditions persist into November and possibly even December.’
‘It is exacerbating existing heat and drought issues.’
This weather phenomenon forms by a build-up of below average cooler water that lowers surface temperatures – experts observed the surface at 26.6 degrees Fahrenheit over the past few weeks
NOAA observed below-average temperatures stretching across the central and eastern regions of the Pacific Ocean in August, along with atmospheric circulation anomalies hanging over the surface –
One-third of the US was labeled in at least a moderate drought last month, with more than 93 percent of land area in Utah, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico at some level.
And the Central US has been enduring a period of dryness as well, coupled with above average temperatures.
Southern California is also in the midst of the region’s hottest summers, according to the National Weather Service.
The US Drought Monitor shows above average dryness is plaguing 11 US states in the west, covering nearly 87 percent of land area – and more than half of California is in drought.
Rain is in dire need for much of The Golden State as it battles the worst wildfire season on record, which has scorched more than 2.5 million acres of land since starting in August.
California’s winter is typically the rainy season, which tackles Santa Ana winds spreading fires that have already ignited. However, with La Niña forming, the area will experience less rain and drier conditions that could heighten this wildfire season
The weather pattern also increases hurricanes forming in the Atlantic, which can hit coastal regions of Florida and areas along the Gulf. Hurricane Laura blew through Louisiana last month that brought 150 mile per hour winds rushing through the southern state
California’s winter is typically the rainy season, which tackles Santa Ana winds spreading fires that have already ignited.
However, with La Niña forming, the area will experience less rain and drier conditions that could heighten this wildfire season.
The weather pattern also increases hurricanes forming in the Atlantic, which can hit coastal regions of Florida and areas along the Gulf.
Hurricane Laura blew through Louisiana last month that brought 150 mile per hour winds rushing through the southern state.
And with La Niña brewing in the last three months of hurricane season, this could mean more storms are on the way that have even more power to release on land.