La Niña Emerges Raising Drought Risks for California and Brazil

A weather-changing La Niña has emerged in the Pacific Ocean, increasing the risk of drought in California and crop-growing regions in Brazil and Argentina while also bringing cold to the US Midwest and a milder winter to New York and the US East Coast.

The cyclical La Niña, which occurs when the Pacific’s surface cools and the atmosphere above it reacts, formed last month and will likely last through February 2026, the US Climate Prediction Center said in its latest outlook Thursday. The phenomenon is not projected to be strong, so typical impacts could be limited.

“Because we expect this ...