The La Nina is getting stronger and is expected to reach its peak phase sometime toward the end of 2007. The cold tongue of the eastern Pacific has crossed the dateline. Associated with the maturing of La Nina, the warm waters return to western Pacific. Most part of the midlatitudes in both hemispheres remain very warm during this time. Particularly seas around Japan are warm which indicates a warmer than normal winter there.
Interestingly, the positive phase of the Indian Ocean Dipole has revived. As a reasult the eastern tropical Indian Ocean is colder than normal now with a opposite phase in the western tropical Indian Ocean. This will lead to excess rainfall in East Africa leading to flooding there. The northeast monsoon in India is expected to be stronger than normal.
On the eastern side, associated with Indian Ocean Dipole and the late arrival of warm waters in western Pacific, eastern Australia suffered from drier than normal winter and spring conditions. Europe is expected to enjoy a pleasant fall and also a good winter.
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