Low temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean are likely to worsen drought in Africa and flooding in Asia.
The La Niña climate episode, characterized by cold waters in the eastern Pacific and affecting rainfall over many parts of the globe, is expected to last for several more months, probably until this summer and possibly beyond, has warned the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on Friday. A very unusual situation and which risks prolonging the severe drought that has hit the Horn of Africa for several seasons, with high risks of famine in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya. In Southeast Asia and northern Australia, on the contrary, there are fears of an upsurge in torrential rains and floods. La Niña is also one of the reasons why the US agency NOAA predicts an above-average hurricane season in the Atlantic.
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La Niña is less well known than its “mirror”, El Niño, whose effects on the global climate can be even more disruptive. But they are in fact two opposite sides of the same mechanism. “We…
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