A long-awaited La Niña event has finally materialized, though meteorologists reported on January 9, 2025, that its intensity is weak and unlikely to trigger as many weather disruptions as usual.

The delayed arrival of La Niña may be attributed to significantly warmer ocean temperatures compared to recent years.

La Niña, the counterpart to the more well-known El Niño, is characterized by the periodic cooling of sea surface temperatures in a key region of the central equatorial Pacific. This phenomenon influences weather patterns across the globe.

While El Niño is often associated with rainier weather in the United States and a general rise in global temperatures, La Niña typically brings cooler global temperatures and altered weather patterns.

Research indicates that La Niña-related droughts have historically been more economically damaging than weather extremes linked to El Niño.

The previous La Niña event, which lasted an unusual three years, ended in 2023. The current weak La Niña may have less pronounced effects but remains a critical climate factor to monitor.


Syllabus: GS-1 | Salient features of Physical Geography– Earthquake, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, Cyclone, Ocean Currents, winds and glaciers