La Niña

Proper noun

La Niña (plural La Niñas)

1. (attributive, sometimes) A sustained negative sea-surface temperature anomaly of more than 0.5°C across the equatorial zone of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean; the negative phase of the multi-year ENSO cycle, which causes variations in local and regional weather patterns.
   • Climate scientists think a La Niña event may develop this summer, meaning water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean will be cooler that normal. Although the relationship is not fully understood, historically there tends to be more hurricane activity during a La Niña event.2007 May 23, Houston Chronicle
   • Scientists predict that La Niña this winter will lead to below average precipitation in a large swath of California, stretching from the Bay Area to the state’s southern border. They expect warmer than average temperatures for Southern California and eastern parts of Central California.2021 November 16, Soumya Karlamangla, “What La Niña Means for California’s Drought”, in The New York Times, →ISSN