GEOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Unlike El Niño years, the impacts of La Niña often continue into the warm months. In eastern Australia, the average December-March rainfall during La Niña years is 20% higher than the long-term average, with eight of the ten wettest such periods occurring during La Niña years.

Detailed explanation-2: -It is known in Australia to produce wet, windy summers. During La Niña, sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean are cooler than normal while waters in the western tropical Pacific are warmer than normal. That situation creates moisture that brings rain to eastern and central Australia.

Detailed explanation-3: -La Niña years tend to see cooler than average daytime temperatures across most of mainland Australia south of the tropics, particularly during the second half of the year. Due to increased cloud cover and hence warmer nights, regions of southern New South Wales and northern Victoria can experience less frost days.

Detailed explanation-4: -La Niña usually splits California into two halves: bringing wetter conditions to the northern part of the state and drier conditions to the south. Between September and November of a La Niña year, areas north of the Bay Area tend to get more rain than usual, according to data from the Climate Prediction Center.

Detailed explanation-5: -This variability has worldwide effects as it shifts weather patterns – bringing droughts to some regions and floods to others. For most of Australia, La Niña raises the chance of rain.