El Niño 101 | National Geographic
Summary
TLDREl Niño, a significant weather phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean, occurs every two to seven years and causes a rise in sea surface temperatures, leading to global climate changes and natural disasters. Originating from its impact on South American fishermen, El Niño affects marine life, causing migrations due to blocked nutrient-rich upwelling. It brings increased storms and floods to the Americas and droughts to Southeast Asia and Australia. The 1997-98 El Niño was the most severe, causing extensive damage and loss of life. Scientists are now better equipped to predict these events, aiding communities in preparing for the drastic weather changes.
Takeaways
- 🌊 El Nino is a significant weather phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean that can trigger a range of climate changes and natural disasters globally.
- 🌡️ It is characterized by a warming of surface water temperatures, which can rise 0.5 degrees Celsius above the historic average for three consecutive months.
- 🌍 The effects of El Nino are widespread, impacting regions from Alaska to South America and beyond.
- 🐟 The phenomenon disrupts marine ecosystems by blocking the upwelling of nutrient-rich waters, affecting marine life and fisheries.
- 🌤️ El Nino is not a storm but a complex set of atmospheric and oceanic interactions that alter normal weather patterns.
- 🌪️ In the western United States, Central, and South America, El Nino can lead to increased storms, rainfall, floods, and vector-borne diseases.
- 🔥 Conversely, in Southeast Asia and Australia, El Nino can cause droughts, wildfires, and colder ocean temperatures.
- 📉 The 1997-98 El Nino was the most severe on record, causing extensive damage, estimated at 2100 deaths and $33 billion in damages.
- 🔍 Scientists have improved their ability to predict El Nino events, which aids in community preparedness and adaptation to its impacts.
- ⏱️ El Nino events typically occur every two to seven years, with varying degrees of intensity and geographical impact.
Q & A
What is El Nino and how does it differ from a typical storm?
-El Nino is a weather phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean, not a storm. It is characterized by a warming of surface water temperatures, leading to complex weather patterns.
How did El Nino get its name?
-South American fishermen in the 19th century named it 'El Nino', which means 'The Blessed Child' in Spanish, due to the warmer waters they observed during Christmas time.
What are the criteria for officially declaring an El Nino event?
-An El Nino event is officially declared when sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean rise by 0.5 degrees Celsius over their historic average for three consecutive months, and atmospheric conditions and rainfall patterns shift accordingly.
How often does an El Nino event typically occur?
-El Nino events take place approximately every two to seven years.
What happens to the trade winds and warm water during an El Nino event?
-During an El Nino event, the normal east to west trade winds over the Pacific weaken, causing warm water that usually travels westward to move eastward instead.
How does El Nino affect marine life and fisheries?
-El Nino causes warm water to push colder water downward, blocking the upwelling of nutrient-rich waters from the bottom. This leads to marine life migration, impacting animals that feed on them and causing difficulties for fisheries in Central and South America.
What are the most noticeable effects of El Nino on land?
-The most noticeable effects of El Nino on land include increased storms, rainfall, floods, loss of life and property, and the increase of vector-borne diseases like malaria in the western United States, Central, and South America.
How does El Nino impact Southeast Asia and Australia?
-In contrast to the effects in the Americas, Southeast Asia and Australia suffer from droughts, wildfires, and colder ocean waters during an El Nino event.
What was the impact of the 1997-98 El Nino, the largest recorded?
-The 1997-98 El Nino was blamed for approximately 2100 deaths and $33 billion in damages worldwide. It caused record flooding in Peru, storms in the Gulf Coast, flash flooding from California to Mississippi, and tornadoes in Florida.
How have scientists improved in predicting El Nino events?
-Scientists are now better able to predict El Nino events by monitoring sea surface temperatures and atmospheric conditions, which helps communities prepare for the changes in weather patterns and adapt to its repercussions.
What are the benefits of predicting El Nino events?
-Predicting El Nino events allows communities to better prepare for extreme weather conditions, potentially reducing the impact on life, property, and the environment.
Outlines
🌊 El Nino: The Phenomenon and Its Impact
El Nino is a significant weather phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean that occurs every two to seven years. It is characterized by a warming of surface water temperatures, which leads to complex weather patterns affecting regions from Alaska to South America. Originating from South American fishermen's observations of warmer waters during Christmas, 'El Nino' means 'The Blessed Child' in Spanish. Scientists declare an El Nino when sea surface temperatures rise 0.5 degrees Celsius over the historical average for three consecutive months, accompanied by shifts in atmospheric conditions and rainfall. This event disrupts the normal east-to-west trade winds, causing warm water to move eastward, which in turn affects marine life and leads to various consequences on land, such as increased storms, rainfall, floods, and vector-borne diseases in some areas, and droughts and wildfires in others. The most severe El Nino on record occurred in 1997-98, causing extensive damage and loss of life. Today, scientists are better equipped to predict El Nino events, allowing communities to prepare and adapt to its effects.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡El Nino
💡Climate Change
💡Natural Disasters
💡Surface Water Temperature
💡Trade Winds
💡Upwelling
💡Fisheries
💡Vector-Borne Diseases
💡Droughts
💡Predictability
Highlights
El Nino is a natural weather phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean that can cause climate changes and natural disasters.
It is named after the warmer waters observed by South American fishermen during Christmas time.
El Nino is not a storm but a complex weather pattern caused by warming surface water temperatures.
An El Nino event is declared when sea surface temperatures rise 0.5 degrees Celsius over three months.
The normal east to west trade winds over the Pacific weaken during El Nino, altering ocean currents.
Warm water moves eastward, causing moisture to rise into the air and affecting weather across the Americas.
El Nino disrupts the upwelling of nutrient-rich waters, impacting marine life and fisheries.
In the western United States, Central and South America, El Nino leads to increased storms, rainfall, and floods.
El Nino can also increase the occurrence of vector-borne diseases like malaria in affected regions.
Conversely, Southeast Asia and Australia experience droughts, wildfires, and colder ocean waters during El Nino.
The 1997-98 El Nino was the most significant on record, causing widespread damage and loss of life.
Scientists have improved their ability to predict El Nino events, aiding in community preparedness.
El Nino's effects are felt from Alaska to South America and beyond, impacting a vast range of regions.
The phenomenon is characterized by a shift in atmospheric conditions and rainfall patterns.
The movement of warm water affects the marine ecosystem, causing some species to migrate.
El Nino's impact on land includes increased risk of property damage and loss of life due to extreme weather.
The phenomenon has economic implications, with the 1997-98 El Nino causing billions in damages.
Improved prediction of El Nino events helps communities adapt and mitigate its effects.
Transcripts
a natural force of nature unlike any
other El Nino is capable of unleashing a
fury of climate changes and natural
disasters that span from Alaska all the
way to South America and beyond what
causes El Nino and how are we affected
by it El Nino is not a storm but rather
a weather phenomenon in the Pacific
Ocean during an El Nino the surface
water temperature warms up leading to
complex weather patterns South American
fishermen in the 19th century describing
warmer waters during Christmas time
coined the name El Nino Spanish for the
Blessed child nowadays when sea surface
temperatures in the equatorial Pacific
Ocean rise point 5 degrees Celsius over
their historic average for three
consecutive months and once atmospheric
conditions and rainfall patterns shift
accordingly
scientists officially declare an El Nino
an El Nino event takes place about every
two to seven years normal east to west
trade winds over the Pacific weaken and
warm water that normally travels
westward is now moving toward the east
moisture then rises into the air and the
effects of El Nino are felt throughout
the Americas in the ocean warm water
pushes colder water downward blocking
the important upwelling of nutrient-rich
waters from the bottom this causes some
marine life to migrate to colder waters
animals that normally feed on the sea
life suffer and Fisheries throughout
Central and South America suffer too but
El Ninos most noticeable repercussions
are felt on land
in the western United States and Central
and South America the warm air and
moisture lead to increased storms
rainfall floods loss of life and
property and the increase of some vector
borne diseases like malaria even in
places where they don't normally occur
in Southeast Asia and Australia the
opposite takes place these areas suffer
from droughts wildfires and colder ocean
waters in 1997 and 98 the world
experienced the biggest El Nino in
recorded history
some estimates blame that el nino for
2100 deaths and 33 billion dollars in
damages mongolia saw temperatures reach
108 degrees fahrenheit there was record
flooding in peru and the u.s. saw storms
in the Gulf Coast
flash flooding from California to
Mississippi and tornadoes in Florida
scientists are now better able to
predict if and when an El Nino event
will take place this helps communities
better prepare for the changes in
weather patterns and better adapt to its
repercussions
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