Extract from the Nikkei (Japan economic newspaper), November 19th,Monday, 2007

La Nina, which is an ocean-atmosphere phenomenon, cause unusually cold sea surface temperature (SST) and extreme weather around the world, occers. So it is possible that this winter in Japan will be so cold in contrast to the warm winter in last year.

La Nina, which influence to the world climate, has already started from this spring. Normally it leads to heat summer and colder winter in Japan, and this year’s heat summer would be caused by it. By Japan Meteorological Agency and professors, they expect this phenomenon will continue until spring to summer in 2008, and worry about the influence to this winter.
However, comparing with the colder winter 2 years ago, SST near Japan is a big difference. They pointed out some indefinite factor, SST is so high by the influence of heat summer, and it will lead to the cold wind weaker. But low-pressure will be developing and passes Japan often, and will cause increased rainfall and snowstorm many times.