2. El Nino El Nino is hot air over hot water, which causes warm winds El Nino means boy in Spanish and it causes wet period in Midwestern US

3. El Nino Scientists do not fully understand how El Nino is formed It is believe that El Nino may have contributed to the 1993 Mississippi flood and 1995 California floods, and drought conditions in South America, Africa, and Australia Not all El Nino’s are the same, nor does the atmosphere always react in the same way from one El Nino to another

4. The First Signs of El Nino: Rise in surface pressure over the Indian Ocean, Indonesia, and Australia Fall in the air pressure over Tahiti and the rest of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean Trade winds in the south Pacific weaken or head east Warm air rises near Peru, causing rain in the northern Peruvian deserts

5. Effects of El Nino in Canada Both warmer and drier winters over much of the country occur In the following summer it is usually warmer and drier creating a more active forest fire season over Central/Eastern Canada El Nino also warmed the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics

6. La Nina La Nina is when the ocean lowers in temperature La Nina means girl in Spanish and causes dry periods in the Midwestern US

7. La Nina The affects of La Nina are opposite to those of El Nino During a period of La Nina, the sea surface temperature across the Pacific Ocean will be lower than normal by 3- 5 degrees In the United States an episode of La Nina will be around 5 months La Nina is often preceded by a strong El Nino

8. History of La Nina’s From 1988-1989, there was a strong episode of La Nina as well as in 1995 and in 1999-2000 A minor La Nina also occurred in 2000-2001 A La Nina also developed in mid 2007 and lasted until early 2009 However an El Nino returned in May-June 2009 and strengthened Tropical Storm Ida into a powerful coastal storm

9. History of La Nina’s