La Nina may form, but timing and strength uncertain - Reuters

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

La Nina may form, but timing and strength uncertain
Thu Apr 5, 2007 10:30AM EDT

By Rene Pastor

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A La Nina weather anomaly may be forming in the equatorial
Pacific, but a fog of unpredictability enshrouds when it may strike and how strong
it might be, according to the Climate Prediction Center of the U.S. National Oceanic
Atmospheric Administration.

In its monthly update issued Thursday, the center said "atmospheric and oceanic
conditions are consistent with a trend towards a Pacific cold (La Nina) episode."

The formation of La Nina could lead to more storms in the 2007 Atlantic hurricane
season, which runs from June 1 to November 30, forecasters say.

-snip-

However, the latest computer models "indicate considerable uncertainty as to when
La Nina might develop and how strong it might be," according to the CPC.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN0533936820070405

[whistle]

1. La Niña and El Niño...

What is La Niña?
La Niña is characterized by unusually cold ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific, compared to El Niño, which is characterized by unusually warm ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific.

<MORE>

http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/tao/elnino/la-nina-story.html

[philb]

2. Florida and Gulf coast already in major drought- typical of La Nina

our area hasn't had rain in over a month