Scientists are monitoring whether it could contribute to rare Atlantic La Niña conditions. The current Pacific El Niño is driven by warmer-than-normal water along the equator. Like El Niño, La Niña can persist for months and influence weather patterns well beyond the Pacific Ocean. "While it’s too soon to say if we’ll see an Atlantic La Niña, we already know we’re seeing El Niño conditions in the Pacific. Very strong El Niño phases, like what we are expecting to see by September, are rare," Blanchard said.