Air currents can influence climate outcomes of La Nina, El Nino: study

Canberra, July 31 (IANS) Storms and air currents can influence the climate outcomes of La Nina and El Nino events, research from Australia's national science agency has found.

In a study published on Wednesday, a team from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) explored why Australia was wet and cool in November 2021 but dry and warm in November 2020 despite both occurring during La Nina events.

La Nina and El Nino are two opposing climate patterns in the Pacific Ocean that affect weather worldwide. La Nina occurs when equatorial trade winds become stronger, drawing cooler deep waters up to the surface and is typically associated with increased rainfall and cooler daytime temperatures in Australia.

Carly Tozer, lead author of the report from the CSIRO, said that the new research showed that while La Nina and El Nino can be predictors of climate outcomes, other factors such as storms and air currents can also influence conditions.

The study found that jet streams, narrow bands of strong wind in the upper levels of the atmosphere, influenced the climate outcomes in Australia during November 2020 and 2021, Xinhua news agency reported.

"We found the presence or absence of these air currents over Australia contributed to the very wet November 2021 and very dry November 2020, respectively," Tozer said in a media release.

"Jet streams in the upper atmosphere can steer weather systems, including low pressure systems, and influence rainfall in the regions they pass over."

According to the research, there was a strong jet stream over Australia in November 2021 that contributed to wet conditions. By comparison, in 2020 the jet stream was largely absent, steering rainfall systems south of Australia.

Researchers said the findings would increase the understanding of the influence of unpredictable conditions for future forecasting.

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