La Niña and El Niño are part of a larger, natural cyclical cycle called the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), which occurs in a specific part of the Pacific Ocean. La Niña brings cooler temperatures in that region of the ocean — called Niño 3.4 — while El Niño brings warmer temperatures. "It seems like we're in for a strong [El Niño] with a chance of a super strong El Nino event. The former was considered a super El Niño event, with temperatures in Niño 3.4 reaching roughly 2.7 C above average. But Swain said that a strong El Niño event is like a temporary window into the future.

Source: CBC News March 19, 2026 23:23 UTC