WMO Predicts Short-Lived La Niña Event Through Mid-2025

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced that the weak La Niña event, which emerged in December 2024, is likely to be short-lived, with a 60% chance of conditions normalizing between March and May 2025. This La Niña phase, characterized by cooling ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific, is not expected to significantly impact global temperatures, as January 2025 recorded the hottest January on record. The WMO highlighted that despite La Niña's cooling effects, the broader context of human-induced climate change continues to drive global temperatures higher. The agency emphasized the importance of seasonal forecasts for El Niño and La Niña in informing disaster risk preparedness and decision-making across various sectors. Overall, above-average sea surface temperatures are expected to persist in most oceans, underscoring ongoing climate challenges. The WMO's findings reflect a complex interplay between natural climate phenomena and anthropogenic factors influencing weather patterns worldwide.