The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) is seeing signs of the natural weather phenomenon "La Niña". It typically has a cooling effect on the climate. Nevertheless, temperatures would remain above average in most regions of the world, according to the WMO.

The first signs of "La Niña" could emerge from September onwards, reports the WMO. The chances of surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific cooling down stand at 55 per cent. A new El Niño period, by contrast, is considered unlikely between September and December.

The girl and the boy

The weather phenomenon "La Niña" (Spanish: the girl) is a naturally occurring phenomenon that happens every few years. It is the counterpart to "El Niño" (Spanish: the boy), during which the equatorial Pacific warms strongly. This influences winds, air pressure, and rainfall — and with them, weather across many parts of the world.

Droughts and regionally above-average rainfall are the result. "El Niño" raises the global average temperature. "La Niña" describes precisely the opposite development.

Thousands of lives could be saved and millions of dollars conserved worldwide if countries prepared and took precautions for these phenomena early on, according to the WMO.

Read the article on science.orf.at. The Salzburger Nachrichten also cover the story, among others.