La Niña episodes represent periods of below-average sea surface temperatures across the east-central Equatorial Pacific. Global climate La Niña impacts tend to be opposite those of El Niño impacts. In the tropics, ocean temperature variations in La Niña also tend to be opposite those of El Niño.
During a La Niña year, winter temperatures are warmer than normal in the Southeast and cooler than normal in the Northwest.
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NOAA El Niño Page
NOAA La Niña Page
NOAA National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center, El Niño/La Niña
NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory: El Niño theme page
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