La Nina is here, threatening even bigger blazes and storms
state.com / 9-10-20
The extreme weather that has hammered California with runaway wildfires and hit Louisiana with its most powerful hurricane in 160 years may be about to get even worse.
La Nina -- a phenomenon that occurs when the surface of the Pacific Ocean cools -- has officially formed, the U.S. Climate Prediction Center said Thursday. It triggers an atmospheric chain reaction that stands to roil weather around the globe, often turning the western U.S. into a tinder box, fueling more powerful hurricanes in the Atlantic and flooding parts of Australia and South America.
"We're already in a bad position, and La Nina puts us in a situation where fire-weather conditions persist into November and possibly even December," said Ryan Truchelut, president of Weather Tiger LLC. "It is exacerbating existing heat and drought issues."
SNIP
California's rainy season typically starts by early winter, and can counter the fire-spreading Santa Ana winds that are starting now. But if La Nina gets in the way, it could have dire consequences for the state where fires have already charred more than 2.5 million acres, the most on record, and 80% of the land is abnormally dry.
MORE: https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/La-Nina-is-here-threatening-even-bigger-blazes-15556516.php
