(Reuters) – A U.S. government weather forecaster on Thursday said La Nina could potentially emerge during the September-November season and last through the 2021-22 winter.
The La Nina pattern is characterized by unusually low temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean and is linked with floods and drought.
Meanwhile, El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) neutral conditions are expected during the northern hemisphere summer and into the fall this year, the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC) said in its monthly forecast.
There is about a 51% chance of ENSO neutral conditions for the August-October season, the CPC said.
The ENSO weather pattern is marked by average long-term ocean temperatures, tropical rainfall and atmospheric winds.
Last month the forecaster pegged the chances of ENSO-neutral weather conditions at 50% for the September-November season.
(Reporting by Swati Verma in Bengaluru; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
