La Niña

La Niña is a coupled ocean atmosphere phenomenon that is counterpart to El Niño. The
name means "little girl" in Spanish. La Niñas are often, though not always, preceded by an El Niño phenomenon. Weather patterns in the United States are usually different than during El Niño years. During La Niñas the Atlantic hurricane season produces more intense storms than normal.
Recent history.
A strong La Niña hit in 1988-1989. A weaker one took place during 1995. An extended strong La Niña spell took place from 1998 to 2000, followed by neutral periods between 2000 and 2002. A more recent La Niña happened in 2007-2008, followed by neutral conditions in 2008-2009.