POLITICAL NOTEBOOK

WASHINGTON — La Nina, the cooler and at times costlier flip side of El Nino, has arrived to warp weather worldwide, meteorologists said Thursday. This natural weather phenomenon often turbocharges the Atlantic hurricane season, but this La Nina may be too weak and fleeting to cause much trouble.

In the United States, La Nina often means more precipitation — including possible snowstorms — in northern areas and winter dryness in the South.

A La Nina occurs when certain parts of the Central Pacific Ocean cool by 0.9 degrees Fahrenheit compared to normal. The world had been flirting with one this year and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration declared Thursday that La Nina conditions have formed. But it's likely to be not very strong and may disappear in th

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