National Hurricane Center: 60 Percent Chance Of La Nina Still Forming

Sure, Hurricane Irma may have come and gone, but with two months still remaining in the Atlantic hurricane season, there's a 60 percent chance that a "La Nina" could develop. 

La Niña, a counterpart of El Niño, is the periodic cooling of the equatorial eastern and central Pacific Ocean, which can shift weather patterns over a period of months, bringing the possibility of more sustained warm, cold, wet or dry weather in parts of the world.

That would boost an already-active season by reducing wind shear, which can keep hurricanes from forming or rip them apart once they do. 

The latest sea-surface temperature analysis shows a distinct, cooler-than-average pool of water already in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. Despite that, however, the magnitude has yet to officially reach La Niña criteria.

But forecasters at the National Hurricane Center say that, no matter what, it's not time to drop your guard. 

Last October and November produced hurricanes Matthew, Nicole and Otto.


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