The term La Niña may be one that casual weather observers, as well as aficionados, hear meteorologists using from time to time, especially when breaking down long-term weather trends or providing a sneak peek at conditions expected during an upcoming season. But, what exactly is La Niña? Let's take an in-depth look.

The key to how winter in the United States may unfold often lies thousands of miles away in the open waters of the equatorial Pacific Ocean. There, the roots of a climatological phenomenon known as La Niña originate, eventually helping shape weather patterns worldwide.

How does La Niña occur?

The pattern occurs when sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean drop to lower-than-historical average levels for an extended period of time. This process is th

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