La Nina caused impact on Eastern coast of Australia and parts of South East Asia.
<P>[January 14 2011]

<P>The recent flooding in Queensland and the Philippines has been caused by unusually warm ocean temperatures in the western Pacific associated with a La Nina weather episode.
<P>BBC Meteorologist, Laura Tobin, says the flooding in the south east of Brazil is unlikely to be linked to La Nina. She says La Nina is a 
cyclical weather phenomenon which effects mostly Pacific equatorial
regions.
<P>La Nina occurs when surface temperatures are cooler than normal in the eastern Pacific and warmer than normal in the western Pacific. During La Nina, the cold water that pools near the coast of South America surges across the Pacific due to strengthening easterly winds. This causes a greater build up of warmer water along the eastern coast of Australia and in the South East Asia region. 

<P>The contrast in sea surface temperatures across the Pacific, as well as the contrast in air pressure, produces more rainfall in the western Pacific region.
<P>Heavy rainfall in Sri Lanka

<P>It is not typical that La Nina would effect the weather so far west. However BBC Meteorologist, Nina Ridge, says there is also some evidence La Nina may have had an effect on the recent rainfall in Sri Lanka.

<P>This is because La Nina causes strong easterly winds, that could prevail across to Sri Lanka and interact with the normal north east monsoon.
<P>Widespread impact

<P>The World Meteorological Organization says La Nina conditions can have a widespread impact, usually associated with stronger monsoons in most parts of Asia and Australia.

<P>The weather phenomenon has also been associated with an active hurricane season in the Atlantic. 

<p>- BBC News