WMO Warns of La Niña Impact on Atlantic Region

La Niña, a cooling phase, is predicted to occur mainly in the last quarter of 2024, with the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) estimating a 50 percent chance of development from September to November. Expectation of 13 to 16 tropical cyclones in the Philippines until year-end, even under weak La Niña conditions, signaling above-average rainfall and potential storm impacts. Latin America and the Caribbean are also urged to prepare for La Niña, which may intensify the Atlantic hurricane season, lead to climate variability, and cause historic droughts affecting crops, as highlighted by experts during a World Meteorological Organization webinar. Both La Niña and El Niño, occurring every two to seven years and lasting around nine to twelve months, impact regional economies and agriculture in Latin America and the Caribbean through floods, droughts, and hurricane frequency fluctuations.