UN weather agency: Moderate to strong La Niรฑa this year
BERLIN โ The La Niรฑa climate phenomenon has developed and is expected to last into next year, affecting temperatures, precipitation and storm patterns across the world, the U.N. weather agency said Thursday. A La Niรฑa usually means a more active Atlantic hurricane season, with more and perhaps stronger storms. The World Meteorological Organization in Geneva said La Niรฑa, characterized by abnormally cold sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean, is โexpected to be moderate to strongโ this year. The global declaration of a La Niรฑa event is used by governments to help plan responses in vulnerable sectors like agriculture, health, water resources and disaster management, the WMO said. This yearโs La Niรฑa is expected to bring drier than usual conditions to East Africa during the planting season, which the U.N. weather agency called โa further worrying development which may add to the food security challenges in the region.โIn North America, La Niรฑa typically brings more rain to the north of the continent and less to the south.