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Weather: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) (IMD) has announced the beginning of the effect of La Nina in September. The department warned on Monday that there is a possibility of severe winter this year. Usually occurring at the end of the monsoon season, La Nina is known to bring a sharp drop in temperatures, often associated with an increase in rainfall, raising concerns about the possibility of extreme cold ahead. The Meteorological Department has expressed concern that climate change may cause extreme cold this year.
La Nina, which means ‘girl’ in Spanish, is a weather-changing component just like El Nino. Both La Nina and El Nino phenomena are exactly opposite. During a La Niña event, strong easterly winds push ocean water westward, cooling the ocean surface, particularly in the equatorial Pacific. This effect is the opposite of the warming conditions brought about by El Niño, translated as ‘little boy,’ which occurs when the winds weaken, causing warm water to shift back eastward toward the west coast of the Americas.
What is La Niña and El Niño
Both La Niña and El Niño are important oceanic and atmospheric phenomena that typically begin between April and June, gaining strength between October and February. Although these events typically last between 9 and 12 months, sometimes they can persist for up to two years. Under normal conditions, these winds blow westward along the equator, pushing warm water from South America toward Asia, a process that allows cold water from the depths of the ocean to rise and maintain climate balance.
This will cause severe cold
However, the onset of La Nina disrupts this balance, thereby impacting the global climate. While El Nino is associated with warmer air and ocean temperatures in the Pacific, resulting in warmer overall global temperatures, La Nina produces the opposite effect by cooling both the ocean surface and the atmosphere above it. As La Nina becomes active, IMD’s warning of potential extreme winter conditions underscores the importance of preparing for potential weather challenges ahead.
