NOAA declares end to La Niña
After two years of the global weather pattern known as La Niña, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says “It’s over.”
The La Niña weather pattern is responsible for our back-to-back hottest summers on record along with our non-existent winter. It is also the culprit for our extended moderate drought.
We are now in a neutral phase and heading toward the weather pattern known as “El Niño.” This pattern typically provides South Carolina with more rain events and less intense heat. Unfortunately, it may take until September for El Niño to fully develop, meaning not much relief for our summer temperatures this summer.
Both El Niño and La Niña patterns occur in irregular intervals with El Niño lasting about a year, and La Niña 1-3 years.
Ken Aucoin, Emergency-Planner-Chief Meteorologist, Richland County Emergency Services.
