La Niña

Since then, the ENSO has been largely stuck in neutral, shifting back and forth between weak El Niños and La Niña tendencies.

And, the World Meteorological Association predicts we’re heading into what’s known as a La Niña event.

Even if it takes second place, that is remarkable given the occurrence of La Niña this year, which tends to lower temperatures, and the fact that 2016 was an El Niño year, when temperatures are generally warmer.

In fact, it was the warmest the oceans have ever been during a La Niña this strong.

The fact that this is true despite moderate La Niña conditions in the Pacific is notable, as those conditions bring cold, deep water up to the surface, which normally drags down the global average temperature.