La Niña Ends, ENSO-Neutral Phase Expected Through Summer

La Niña conditions have officially ended, transitioning the tropical Pacific into an ENSO-neutral phase that is expected to persist through the Northern Hemisphere summer and possibly into autumn. This shift was confirmed by NOAA, marking a significant change in global climate patterns, as ENSO-neutral states lead to less predictable weather conditions. While La Niña typically brings dryer winters to Southern California and wetter conditions to the Pacific Northwest, the current neutral phase means that various climatic factors will influence weather patterns unpredictably. The brief duration of this La Niña event, characterized by below-average sea surface temperatures, did, however, impact precipitation patterns during the winter of 2024-2025, which saw below-average rainfall in Southern California. Forecasters indicate that while probabilities for the return of La Niña or El Niño increase later in the year, neutral conditions currently hold the highest likelihood. As the climate enters this neutral stage, weather forecasting becomes more complex due to the absence of dominant patterns.