Dec 23, 2015
El Nino? (warm)
• Trade winds weaken• Thermocline drops• Upwelling is cut off• SST rises in E.Pacific• High & Low pressure areas
in Pacific reverse• Disrupts fish/bird
populations in E.Pacific• Occur every 2-7 years• Lasts 12-18 months
La Nina? (cold)
• Trade winds strengthen
• SST decrease in E.Pacific
• Upwelling increases• Occurs every 3-5 years• Lasts 9-12 months
• Prentice Hall Textbook animation link
• Prentice Hall Textbook animation link
• Prentice Hall Textbook animation link
Hurricanes• El Niño contributes to more eastern Pacific hurricanes and fewer
Atlantic hurricanes.
• La Niña contributes to fewer eastern Pacific hurricanes and more Atlantic hurricanes.
US hurricane damage
US TornadosTornado activity
Depends on the location of the polar jet stream
• El Nino: More to the south
• La Nina: more to the north
Satellites
Provide data on:• Rainfall• Wind• Ocean temp.• Sea surface
height• Ocean color• Surface
currents
Click here to find out what the current sea surface temperatures are.
Are we in an El Nino, La Nina, or neither?