La Niña Climate Pattern Explained - Ocean Temperature & Thermocline Shifts #3222067 (License: Personal Use)

This 3D cross-sectional diagram shows the oceanic and atmospheric dynamics during a La Niña event: cooler-than-normal sea surface temperatures (SSTs) dominate the eastern equatorial Pacific near South America, while warmer waters shift westward toward Australia and Indonesia. The thermocline-the boundary between warm surface water and cold deep water-is deeper in the west and shallower in the east, driven by intensified easterly trade winds that push warm water westward and enhance upwelling along the South American coast.

Used in climate science education, meteorological reports, and environmental news articles to explain ENSO (El Niño-Southern Oscillation) phases; targets users seeking to understand weather anomalies, droughts, or rainfall shifts linked to La Niña.