It was cold last night (just above freezing I think) and only just 5ºC and wet this morning on the ride in. It’s April. This time last year some of us were enjoying dusty moorland trails and were slapping on the suntan lotion to avoid sunburn. The reason for this cool weather I’d argue is La Niña and we’re likely to have a fairly cool wet summer this year as a result.
According to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) moderate La Niña conditions are present across the tropical Pacific Ocean. This is characterised by equatorial sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean remain below average from west of the Date Line eastward to 120ºW. Recent trends and simulation model forecasts indicate La Niña will continue for the next three months. After that there is some uncertainty as to what will happen next, but there’s a 50% chance that La Niña could continue well into the second half of the year.
So don’t dig out the summer wear just yet…
R O T H A R . C O M 