La Niña

[lah nee-nyah]

noun

1. a cool ocean current that develops off the coast of Ecuador and Peru, sometimes following an El Niño but causing nearly the opposite extreme weather conditions.

La Niña

/ læ ˈniːnjə /

noun

1. meteorol a cooling of the eastern tropical Pacific, occurring in certain years

La Niña

1. A cooling of the surface water of the eastern and central Pacific Ocean, occurring somewhat less frequently than El Niño events but causing similar, generally opposite disruptions to global weather patterns. La Niña conditions occur when the Pacific trade winds blow more strongly than usual, pushing the sun-warmed surface water farther west and increasing the upwelling of cold water in the eastern regions. Together with the atmospheric effects of the related southern oscillation, the cooler water brings drought to western South America and heavy rains to eastern Australia and Indonesia.

2. Compare El Niño

Word History and Origins

Origin of La Niña¹

First recorded in 1985–90; from Spanish: literally, “the female child”; patterned after El Niño ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of La Niña¹

C20: from Spanish: The Little Girl, to distinguish it from El Niño

Example Sentences

What are El Niño and La Niña and how do they change the weather?

From BBC

They note that "the global average temperature during recent La Niña years is warmer than during El Niño years in earlier decades."

From BBC

I’ve done collaborations with Los Ángeles Azules, “Amor a Primera Vista,” that was super popular, with Ana Mena in “Las 12,” Lola Indigo and Tiny in “La Niña de la Escuela,” with Juan Magán and Lapiz Conciente in “Si No Te Quisiera.”

From Los Angeles Times

Neutral or weak La Niña conditions – which favour Atlantic hurricanes - are considered more likely, though this early on it is difficult to say.

From BBC

Swain said the current La Niña conditions, the cool phase of the cycle in tropical Pacific Ocean waters, are probably contributing to the pattern.

From Los Angeles Times