Brace for “Triple-Dip La Niña” – We’re in for More Hurricanes, Droughts, and Catastrophic Floods!

Since 2021, the world has been clobbered by La Niña, which resulted in exacerbated flooding and droughts in various countries and regions.

Unfortunately, according to a new update from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), La Niña will persist until at least August and until the beginning of winter in the northern hemisphere.

In fact, there are signs that the climatic condition will continue into 2023, turning the phenomenon into a “Triple-dip La Niña.” A triple-dip La Niña means three consecutive northern hemisphere winters of La Niña conditions, explained WMO.

Hence, the world can expect even more disasters, such as a more active hurricane season in North America and severe droughts in South America.

In the central and eastern Pacific, as La Niña persists, there will be a continuance of drier-than-normal conditions, such as decreased rainfall and cloud formation. Meanwhile, lower-than-normal air pressure wiil continue to prevail over the western Pacific, where there could be more catastrophic floods — a problem that has already caused so much devastation in Australia.

Meanwhile, southeastern Africa will continue to experience rainier-than-normal conditions, just like northern Brazil during the triple-dip La Niña.

In western South America, the phenomenon will keep bringing huge benefits to the region’s fishing industry. Nutrient-rich waters are brought to the surface by upwelling, with many fish species and crustaceans attracted by the overpopulation of plankton. High-value fish species like sea bass, which are on the upper level of the food chain, also abound.

According to WMO, should La Niña really persist into 2023, it would be the third time to happen since 1950.

To which, WMO Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas unequivocally added, “Human-induced climate change amplifies the impacts of naturally occurring events like La Niña and is increasingly influencing our weather patterns, in particular through more intense heat and drought and the associated risk of wildfires – as well as record-breaking deluges of rainfall and flooding”.

La Niña and El Niño are the cold and warm phases of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO).