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La Niña

La Niña Returns: NOAA Warns of Shifting Pacific Ocean Climate Patterns

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The La Niña phenomenon has officially returned to the equatorial Pacific Ocean, reshaping global weather patterns once again. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has confirmed that La Niña conditions emerged in September 2025 and are expected to persist through the Northern Hemisphere winter. Forecasters say there’s a 55% chance that conditions could shift back to ENSO-neutral by early 2026.

Story Highlights

  • NOAA confirms La Niña development across the central and eastern Pacific.
  • Niño-3.4 index: Currently -0.5°C, meeting the official threshold.
  • Expected to persist: Through winter 2025–26, with a weak intensity.
  • Maritime attention: Panama Canal operations stabilized as rainfall improved.
  • Financial rebound: Canal revenues jumped 14.4% to $5.7 billion in FY2025.
  • Next update: ENSO Diagnostics Discussion on November 13, 2025.

According to NOAA’s latest assessment, the climate signal is clear.

“La Niña conditions emerged in September 2025, as indicated by the expansion of below-average sea surface temperatures across the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean,” the agency reported.

The weekly Niño-3.4 index value has now reached -0.5°C, officially marking the onset of La Niña. This cooling of the Pacific waters is a reversal from the El Niño phase that dominated much of 2023 and early 2024.

NOAA scientists note that the current event is accompanied by negative subsurface temperature anomalies and easterly low-level wind patterns stretching across the western and east-central Pacific. The atmospheric response is also evident — with enhanced convection over Indonesia and suppressed storm activity near the Date Line — typical hallmarks of a La Niña setup.

Panama Canal Rebounds Amid Weather Shift

For maritime industries, especially those operating through the Panama Canal, the change in ocean patterns is more than scientific news — it’s an operational relief. The strong El Niño of 2023 had caused record-low water levels in Gatun Lake, severely disrupting global shipping routes and reducing daily vessel capacity.

However, as the climate gradually transitioned toward La Niña in late 2024, rainfall returned to the region. Increased precipitation helped the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) restore normal transit operations, easing months of logistical bottlenecks.

On Wednesday, the Panama Canal reported strong financial results for fiscal year 2025. Revenues climbed 14.4% to $5.7 billion, while vessel transits rose 19.3% to 13,404 over the 12-month period ending September 30. Canal officials credited improved weather and water conditions for stabilizing the system.

“After a challenging year under El Niño, the recent La Niña patterns have allowed us to replenish water levels and restore full operational capacity,” an ACP spokesperson said. “We remain cautiously optimistic as conditions stabilize.”

La Niña Outlook: Weak but Watchful

NOAA’s climate forecast suggests that the current La Niña will likely remain weak, with the three-month average Niño-3.4 index staying between -0.5°C and -0.9°C. Even so, the phenomenon can subtly influence regional rainfall, temperature, and storm frequency across parts of the Americas, Asia, and Africa.

While strong La Niña events tend to trigger widespread disruptions — such as droughts in South America or intense monsoons in Asia — weaker phases like the present one usually produce localized but noticeable weather variations. Climate experts caution that the full impact will unfold over the winter of 2025–26, depending on how long the Pacific cooling persists.

“Even a weak La Niña can shift rainfall and temperature patterns across continents,” NOAA climatologists explained. “Monitoring ocean-atmosphere interactions in the coming months will be crucial to understanding the broader effects.”

The next ENSO Diagnostics Discussion is scheduled for November 13, 2025, when NOAA will release updated projections on the La Niña outlook and potential ENSO-neutral transition in early 2026.

For now, scientists and maritime authorities remain alert. The Pacific’s cooling waters, while modest, serve as a reminder of the ocean’s far-reaching influence on global weather systems — and the delicate balance that connects climate, commerce, and communities worldwide.

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Blue Buttons Invade Virginia Beach: Strange Marine Colonies Wash Ashore

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Beachgoers in Virginia Beach got an unexpected surprise this week when unusual marine creatures, known as blue buttons, began appearing along the shore. The sightings were reported at Dam Neck and Sandbridge, where locals captured photos of the small, flat, button-like organisms. At first glance, these creatures might look like tiny jellyfish, but marine experts confirm they are something entirely different.

Story Highlights:

  • Blue buttons are hydrozoan colonies, not true jellyfish.

  • Spotted at Dam Neck and Sandbridge in Virginia Beach.

  • Hurricane Erin likely carried them from tropical waters.

  • The creatures are small but can sting; experts advise caution.

  • Most measure around two inches or less, some the size of a quarter.

Robert Donovan, a marine expert with the Virginia Aquarium, explained the unique nature of these creatures.

“It is not technically a jellyfish,” Donovan said. “They are gelatinous, yes, but they do not meet the criteria for a true jellyfish. What people are seeing is a colony of animals that collectively appear as a single organism.”

He compared blue buttons to the Portuguese man o’ war, noting that these are hydrozoan colonies, meaning that each “creature” is actually a complex community of individual animals working together.

The timing of these unusual appearances may not be coincidental. Meteorologists and marine biologists suggest that Hurricane Erin played a role in pushing the blue buttons toward the Virginia coastline. Typically, these organisms thrive in warmer, tropical waters and rely on wind and ocean currents to move. Unlike some sea creatures, they have no ability to control their direction, which explains why they appeared far from their natural habitat.

“The presence of blue buttons along Virginia Beach is a perfect example of how extreme weather events can transport marine life over long distances,” Donovan explained.

Blue buttons are deceptively small. Most measure about two inches across, though some of the specimens found along Sandbridge were even smaller, roughly the size of a dime or a quarter. Their flat, button-like appearance makes them easy to spot against the sand, but don’t let their appearance fool you. Despite their delicate look, these hydrozoan colonies can deliver a potent sting.

Beachgoers are being cautioned to keep their distance.

“The best thing to do if you see the blue button or any other floating hydrozoans in the water is to get out immediately,” Donovan warned. “Their sting can be dangerous and quite potent.”

Even when washed up on the shore, blue buttons are not safe to touch.

“I would not touch them. I would not pick them up. If you see them on the beach, give them a wide berth,” Donovan added.

As the late-summer season continues and more sightings emerge along the Virginia coast, experts say that beach visitors should remain vigilant. Blue buttons in Virginia Beach are visually striking, but they are best appreciated from a safe distance.

What are blue buttons?- Hydrozoan colonies that look like jellyfish but are not true jellyfish.
Where were they spotted?- Dam Neck and Sandbridge in Virginia Beach.
Are they dangerous? -Yes, their sting can be potent.
Can you touch them on the sand?- Experts advise against touching, even if washed ashore.
Why are they showing up now?- Hurricane Erin likely pushed them from tropical waters to the Virginia coast.

While blue buttons may look harmless and even beautiful, their potent sting makes them a risk for beachgoers. Experts urge caution and advise keeping a safe distance, whether in the water or on the sand. As more sightings appear along Virginia Beach following Hurricane Erin, visitors should stay alert and enjoy these unusual hydrozoan colonies from afar. Safety comes first, even in the face of nature’s strange coastal surprises.

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