La Ni̱a Winter
El Ni̱o and La Ni̱a are opposite phases of a natural climate pattern across the tropical Pacific Ocean that swings back and forth every 3-7 years on average. El Ni̱o and La Ni̱a alternately warm and cool large areas of the tropical Pacific, which significantly influences where and how much it rains there. This shift disrupts the atmospheric circulation patterns that connect the tropics with the middle latitudes, which in turn modifies the mid-latitude jet streams. By modifying the jet streams, ENSO can affect temperature and precipitation across the and other parts of the world. The influence on the is strongest during the winter (January-March), but it lingers into the early spring. This map illustrates the typical impacts of El Ni̱o and La Ni̱a on winter weather. During El Ni̱o, the southern tier of Alaska and the Pacific Northwest tend to be warmer than average, whereas the southern tier of states, from California to the Carolinas, tends to be cooler and wetter than average. During La Ni̱a, these deviations from the average are approximately (but not exactly) reversed.
Size: 4500px × 2950px
Photo credit: © Photo Researchers / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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