1. El Nino

2. El Nino
A ocean/weather phenomenon that creates or changes weather patterns.
Traditional name , El Nino, comes from south America where the changes is most notable, and it happens around Christmas (if the changes happens that year!)
True name now is ENSO , El Nino Southern Occilation.

3. To understand El Nino Understand Thermoclines
Understand the link between hot ocean water, convection and rain!

4. 1) thermocline

5. 2) Connection between hot ocean water, convection & rain!

6. Typical Ocean currents (gyres)

7. Normal vs. El Nino
Normal – strong trade winds
El nino – trade winds slow down or stop

8. Normal
Prentice Hall Textbook animation link

9. El Nino: El Nino Development

10. La Nina… think, el nino opposite!
Prentice Hall Textbook animation link

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13. El Nino

14. El Nino / La Nina in the thermocline

15. Prediction of El Nino Satellites Ocean buoys Super computers
provide data on tropical rainfall, wind, and ocean temperature patterns, as well as changes in conditions for hurricane formation.
Ocean buoys
help to monitor sea-surface and upper ocean temperatures.
Super computers
gather all of the weather data around the world and put it into useful formats used by scientists.
Run models for future change

16. El Nino Years: The first signs of an El Niño are:
Warm water spreads back from the west Pacific to the east Pacific
Warm air rises near Peru (low pressure), causing rain in the Americas
Decrease in air pressure over central and eastern Pacific Ocean
Winds in the Pacific ocean weaken or stop all together!
Net result is drought in the Asia and rainfall in the Americas.

17. La Nina Years: The first signs of an La Nina are:
Warm water moves back to the west Pacific from the east Pacific
Warm air rises near Asia (low pressure), causing rain in Indonesia and north Australia.
Decrease in air pressure in Asia, Australia, etc
Winds in the Pacific ocean increase dramatically!
Net result is drought in the Americas and rainfall in Asia.

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