February 2, 200620 yr WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The return of a La Nina weather pattern this year will likely mean drought in southern and southwestern U.S. states, government forecasters said on Thursday, adding it was too early to tell if La Nina would also lead to more Atlantic hurricanes in 2006. ADVERTISEMENT La Nina is an unusual cooling of Pacific Ocean surface temperatures, which can trigger widespread changes in weather around the world. Forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said La Nina could wreak havoc on U.S. weather through late spring, and possibly into the summer. "This pattern will favor continued drought in parts of the South and Southwest from Arizona to Arkansas and Louisiana, and above normal precipitation in the Northwest and the Tennessee Valley area," NOAA Administrator Conrad Lautenbacher said in a statement. NOAA also said that, while La Nina can mean increased hurricane activity in the Atlantic Ocean, it was too soon to say what impact it will have this year. Last year was the busiest Atlantic hurricane season on record, with 26 named storms and 13 hurricanes. Four major hurricanes made landfall in the United States, including Rita and Katrina, which pounded the U.S. Gulf Coast in August and September with heavy rains and wind. NOAA previously warned that the hurricane season -- which typically peaks between August 1 and late October -- could be active again in 2006. A La Nina weather pattern occurs about every three to five years. The last one was in 2000-2001, but it was relatively weak. La Nina, which means "infant girl" in Spanish, is generally the opposite of an El Nino weather pattern. NOAA will release its U.S. spring weather outlook in mid-March and its forecast for the Atlantic and Pacific hurricane seasons in mid-May. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060202/us_nm/weather_lanina_dc
February 2, 200620 yr if god likes us he will spare us and not give us 8 more hurricanes this year......this crap is seriously growing old
February 2, 200620 yr I love all this good news....especially with New Orleans still lying in ruins from the last storm.
February 2, 200620 yr Little known fact: George Bush planned La Nina. He hates southern people. :plain
February 2, 200620 yr I know I am beating a dead horse, but in actuality, the Atlantic had a once in a lifetime year last year. We may reach 1995 levels of storms this year. Being that we are better equipped then even 11 years ago to identify storm systems. But unlike global warming reactionaries, only the Atlantic had an above average season in the world. The West Pacific actually didn't come close to reaching their average. The South Pacific only had more major storms this year than ever. But come on. Hurricanes were here long before humans decided to get stupid and populate as close to the coast as possible in the tropics.
February 2, 200620 yr As much as i hate hurricanes, it wont be too bad for me this year hopefully? I got a whole house generator being installed in a month so ill be set. I hope there arent any hurricanes ever again thouhg.
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