In the United States, La Niña often means more precipitation — including possible snowstorms — in northern areas and winter dryness in the South. It can bring heavier rains in Indonesia, the Philippines,

From social media to coffee shops and even some TV weather reports, a common claim is that La Niña means a dry winter is coming for California, and in years when the opposite occurs, El Niño, a wet winter is on the way.

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,