El Niño impacts

Published On: February 24, 2014
256 words
Views: 647

Find out how simple changes in ocean currents can lead to catastrophic weather conditions.

El Niño is a band of anomalously warm ocean water temperatures that periodically develops off the western coast of South America and can cause climatic changes across the Pacific Ocean. There is a phase of ‘El Niño–Southern Oscillation’ (ENSO), which refers to variations in the temperature of the surface of the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean (El Niño and La Niña) and in air surface pressure in the tropical western Pacific.

Image: NOAA
Image: NOAA

Arctic Sea Ice Forum: 2014 El Nino? We may be on the way to a major El Nino event.

Wunderground: An El Niño Coming in 2014? We are seeing increasing evidence of an upcoming change in the Pacific Ocean base state that favors the development of a moderate-to-strong El Niño event this Spring/Summer.

Jim Hansen: There is substantial likelihood of an El Niño beginning in 2014, and as a result a probable record global temperature in 2014 or 2015.

ClimateCentral: The strongest El Nino ever recorded occurred in 1997-98. It led to heavy rains across the southern U.S., landslides in Peru, wildfires in Indonesia, and the cratering of the anchovy fishery in the eastern Pacific. These and other impacts were responsible an estimated $35-45 billion in damage and 23,000 deaths worldwide.

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Teaser image via Climate.gov

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Categories: Extreme Weather, Oceans

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About the Author: Chris Machens

Chris Machens
Chris covers the climate since 2011, and when not posting articles to the site he usually works on our next video production.
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    11 Comments
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    Bob Bingham
    10 years ago

    California needs rain very badly but I am not sure they want that much in one go.

    Guadalupe Solares
    Guadalupe Solares
    10 years ago

    /

    Marty Seay
    Marty Seay
    10 years ago

    El Nino 100 % Sure Its Coming 2014
    on you tube check it out God Given Dream

    mcc helipilot
    mcc helipilot
    10 years ago
    ClimateState
    ClimateState
    10 years ago
    MrBen527
    MrBen527
    10 years ago

    Which stands for………………….”The Nino” lol

    Robert Olson
    Robert Olson
    10 years ago

    seeing California is already broke.. means well have to bail them out
    again.. they keep giving there money a way to immigrants..I say let them
    deal with the crisis in there own way.. no money.. no help… let them
    learn not to spend our money..

    Norwaygen Caveman
    Norwaygen Caveman
    10 years ago

    EXSELENT

    Semptar suchus
    Semptar suchus
    10 years ago

    California needs this water

    John Spartan
    John Spartan
    10 years ago

    Robert Olson is an idiot California is top 5 economy in the entire world.