[News Terms] Suffering from Abnormal Climate... After El Nino, 'La Nina' Comes

As the world suffers from abnormal weather patterns, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has forecasted that El Ni?o will gradually weaken over the next 4 to 6 months, transitioning to a 'neutral' phase or possibly leading to the occurrence of the opposite phenomenon, La Ni?a.

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La Ni?a, which means 'girl' in Spanish, refers to an abnormal phenomenon where the sea surface temperature in the eastern Pacific Ocean remains at least 0.5 degrees Celsius below normal for more than five months. It is the opposite phenomenon of El Ni?o, which means 'boy.'

Like El Ni?o, La Ni?a is an abnormal climate event caused by winds. The sea surface temperature in the tropical Pacific plays a crucial role in tropical rainfall, and the main factor determining this temperature is the wind. Generally, the western Pacific near the equator has warmer sea surface temperatures, while the eastern Pacific is relatively cooler. This is because the trade winds (easterly winds) blow westward, pushing heat energy and seawater toward the western Pacific, allowing cold deep ocean water to upwell and fill the space. However, trade winds can temporarily weaken due to changes in temperature or pressure. When the trade winds are strong, the upwelling of cold water intensifies, lowering the sea surface temperature and causing the La Ni?a phenomenon.

When La Ni?a occurs, there is less rainfall in the central tropical Pacific and eastern Pacific. As a result, regions such as Peru and Chile in South America suffer from drought. Conversely, tropical cyclones develop in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia and the Philippines in the western Pacific, bringing more rainfall than usual. Northern Australia also tends to experience storms and heavy rain. North America, Europe, and Northeast Asia may face severe cold spells.

La Ni?a often follows an El Ni?o event, but its occurrence cycle and intensity are not consistent.

With inflation pressures caused by El Ni?o showing little sign of easing, the emergence of La Ni?a in the second half of this year could trigger a crisis in price management. Droughts in the South American continent and the U.S. grain belt, along with frequent floods caused by heavy rains in Southeast Asia and Australia, will significantly reduce the production of grains such as soybeans, corn, and wheat.

Meanwhile, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology issued a 'La Ni?a advisory' on the 14th (local time), stating that La Ni?a, which caused floods in eastern Australia in 2021 and 2022, is likely to reoccur by the end of this year.