El Nino and La Nina, the climate cycles that blow hot and cold
El Nino and La Nina, the climate cycles that
blow hot and cold
January 8 2021, by Am¨¦lie Bottollier-Depois
In 2016 El Nino intensified temperatures making the year the hottest on record
at the time
Natural climate phenomena El Nino and La Nina are opposite phases of
a complex weather pattern so powerful that it can alter the global
temperature.
1/3
Linked to ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific
Ocean around the Equator, as well as atmospheric changes including
winds and rainfall, these events play a significant part in Earth's climate
system.
Peruvian and Ecuadorian fishermen coined the term El Nino in the 19th
Century for the arrival of an unusually warm ocean current off the coast
just before Christmas. El Nino can refer to the baby Jesus in Spanish.
The name came to describe the phenomenon of surface water warming
near the coasts of South America, while the periods of intensified
cooling in the same region was called La Nina.
The phenomena can each last nine to 12 months and occur irregularly,
every two to seven years, punctuated by neutral periods.
They vary in intensity and do not necessarily follow one another, so for
example it is possible to have two El Nino events in succession separated
by a neutral period.
Their effects are diverse and far-reaching.
An El Nino episode can cause reduced rainfall across parts of eastern
Australia, Southeast Asia, India, southern Africa and northern Brazil, but
wetter conditions over parts of South America, equatorial East Africa
and the southern United States.
In many areas, La Nina causes the opposite.
The two phenomena can also cause substantial climate
fluctuations¡ªhotter for El Nino and cooler for La Nina.
In 2015 and 2016, a particularly intense El Nino stoked temperatures to
2/3
make 2016 the hottest year ever recorded, with experts estimating that
the phenomenon added between 0.1 and 0.2 degrees Celsius.
Now 2020 has matched that heat record, but this time there was no El
Nino. In fact, temperatures were at an all-time high despite the
beginning of a La Nina period that started at the end of the summer.
While we do not know precisely what the effect of climate change is on
these natural phenomena, the World Meteorological Organization has
said that it likely amplifies their impacts, particularly El Nino's intense
heat and greater rainfall.
Forecasting the beginning of an episode is now possible several months
in advance, enabling some degree of preparation for agriculture or water
management.
But on a warming planet, the WMO says the cooling effects of La Nina
will likely not be sufficient to offset the rising temperatures caused by
climate change.
"La Nina years now are warmer even than years with strong El Nino
events of the past," said WMO Secretary General Petteri Taalas in
October.
? 2021 AFP
Citation: El Nino and La Nina, the climate cycles that blow hot and cold (2021, January 8)
retrieved 18 September 2024 from
This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private
study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is
provided for information purposes only.
3/3
Powered by TCPDF ()
................
................
In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.
To fulfill the demand for quickly locating and searching documents.
It is intelligent file search solution for home and business.
Related download
- january 2017 el niÑo la niÑa food and agriculture organization
- el nino and la nina national oceanic and atmospheric administration
- overview of the 2017 18 la niña and el niño watch in mid 2018
- el nino and la nina the climate cycles that blow hot and cold
- what are la niña and el niño and why do they matter
- el nino activity key national oceanic and atmospheric administration
- el niño la niña and arizona climate university of arizona
- el nino impacts on palau national weather service
- el niño and la niña nasa
- la nina ending but warming el nino may strike soon un
Related searches
- hot and sexy nicknames for your boyfriend
- chinese medicine hot and cold
- chinese hot and cold foods
- chinese hot and cold theory
- knee is hot and swollen
- feeling hot and sweating for no reason
- hot and sweating in men
- infiltrated iv hot or cold compress
- hot or cold compress for swelling
- suddenly hot and sweating
- feeling hot and sweating
- suddenly hot and sweaty