What is an Atlantic Niña? How La Niña’s smaller cousin could affect hurricane season

Cooling streaks indicate the potential for two Niña's at once – Pacific and Atlantic, a rare event. NOAA Coral Reef Watch

The North Atlantic Ocean has been running a fever for months, with surface temperatures at or near record highs. But cooling along the equator in both the Atlantic and eastern Pacific may finally be starting to bring some relief, particularly for vulnerable coral reef ecosystems.

This cooling comes from two climate phenomena with similar names: La Niña, which forms in the tropical Pacific, and the less well-known Atlantic Niña.