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Rare ‘triple’ La Niña climate event looks likely — what does the future hold?

Meteorologists are forecasting a third consecutive year of La Niña. Some researchers say similar conditions could become more common as the planet warms.
  1. Nicola Jones
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An ongoing La Niña event that has contributed to flooding in eastern Australia and exacerbated droughts in the United States and East Africa could persist into 2023, according to the latest forecasts. The occurrence of two consecutive La Niña winters in the Northern Hemisphere is common, but having three in a row is relatively rare. A ‘triple dip’ La Niña — lasting three years in a row — has happened only twice since 1950.

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Nature 607, 21 (2022)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-022-01668-1

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