La Nina is coming. What it could mean for the 2024 hurricane season
The girl is coming and, depending on when she arrives, hurricane season may get a bit worse.
According to a report from federal weather forecasters released on Thursday, La Nina has an 85% chance of forming by late fall. However, if La Nina arrives this summer, it could increase the severity of the Atlantic hurricane season.
What is La Niña?
La Niña is a natural climate pattern marked by cooler-than-average seawater in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. When the water cools at least 0.9 degrees Fahrenheit below average for three straight months, a La Niña is declared.
Surprisingly, that small amount is enough to affect weather and climate patterns in the U.S. and around the world.
The cycle between La Niña and its "sibling" El Niño is hugely important for agriculture worldwide. El Niño generally brings wetter conditions to the Americas, while La Niña has the opposite effect.
What impact does La Niña have on the Atlantic hurricane season?
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30.
La Niña can bring more tropical cyclones into the Atlantic basin by weakening wind shear. The Atlantic basin includes the northern Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.
The years 2005 and 2020 were La Nina years here's what happened during those seasons:
2005
- 27 named storms
- 14 hurricanes
- 8 major hurricanes of category 3 or higher, including Hurricane Katrina which struck Mississippi and Louisiana.
- 7 storms made landfall
- The first time the entire list of Atlantic hurricane names was used and forecasters dipped into Greek letters to name storms.
2020
- 30 named storms
- 13 hurricanes
- 6 major hurricanes of category 3 or higher
- 12 storms made landfall in the United States.