Scientists are warning of the imminent arrival of La Niña, a climate pattern that could have significant effects on global weather patterns and fuel intense Atlantic hurricanes. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), there is a 70 percent chance of La Niña developing between August and October, with an almost 8 in 10 chance of its presence this winter.

La Niña is characterized by the upwelling of cool waters from the deep eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting in cooler-than-normal waters along the equator in the central and eastern Pacific. Stronger-than-normal tradewinds blowing from east to west push warm surface waters toward Asia, allowing colder waters to rise in the east. This shift in atmospheric forces influences weather patterns around the world, leading to changes in heat waves and storm systems.

One of the major impacts of La Niña is its influence on Atlantic tropical storm activity. The pattern reduces wind shear, creating a more favorable environment for tropical systems to organize and strengthen. As a result, meteorologists have revised their hurricane season forecast, now predicting a near-record 25 named storm systems, including 12 hurricanes and six "major" hurricanes (Category 3 or higher).

In the United States, La Niña is known for bringing warm and dry conditions across the southern tier during winter, affecting areas such as Southern California, the Southwest, and the Gulf Coast. Conversely, the Pacific Northwest and northern Plains can experience wet and snowy conditions. Internationally, La Niña can lead to floods in northern South America and Indonesia, as well as drought in East Africa, exacerbating existing hunger crises and conflicts.

However, due to the unprecedented warmth of the oceans and record average global temperatures, there is still uncertainty about how this La Niña episode will unfold. Climate scientists are closely monitoring whether La Niña's typical cooling influence will play out as usual, considering the impact of human activities on Earth systems.

The current La Niña event is anticipated to be influenced by the unusually warm waters in the western Pacific, potentially intensifying its effects. Some researchers are exploring the link between climate change and the behavior of La Niña and its counterpart, El Niño, which is associated with warmer-than-normal temperatures in the eastern and central Pacific.

Typically lasting nine to 12 months, La Niña can occasionally persist for up to three years. While it is still too early to determine the duration of this episode, climate models suggest a possible period of neutral conditions following La Niña. However, these projections remain uncertain.

The name La Niña, which means "the girl" in Spanish, originated from the observations of Peruvian fishermen who noticed periods of warm waters in the eastern Pacific during winter, altering their fishing conditions around Christmas. La Niña is essentially the opposite of El Niño.

As the planet grapples with the challenges posed by La Niña and its potential climate impacts, scientists stress the importance of understanding and addressing the role of human-induced climate change in shaping these patterns. Continued research and monitoring are vital as we navigate through this uncharted territory of global warming and its interactions with natural climate phenomena.