La Niña is over and El Niño could be on the way, NOAA says

La Niña, which increases hurricane activity and worsens western drought, is finally over after a rare three-year “triple dip,” the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday.

Weather conditions are now considered neutral, NOAA officials said. The neutral conditions are expected to continue in the Northern Hemisphere through spring and early summer.

There’s around a 60% chance that El Niño develops in the fall, climate officials said. When El Niño arrives, it’s likely to cause wetter-than-average conditions along the Gulf Coast between October and March. It can mean dryer and warmer conditions in the northern U.S. and Canada. 

El Niño can also increase the chance for early spring conditions…