Intensive Study 4 El Nino means" little boy"in Spanish; when capitalized, it refers to the christ child. This innocent-sounding name originated in the 19th century, when Peruvian sailors noticed that every few years around christmastime waters near the coasts warmed up and the current shifted southward. But this"little boy plays havoc around the globe
4 El Niñ o means “little boy” in Spanish; when capitalized, it refers to the Christ child. This innocent-sounding name originated in the 19th century, when Peruvian sailors noticed that every few years around Christmastime, waters near the coasts warmed up and the current shifted southward. But this “little boy” plays havoc around the globe. Intensive Study
Intensive Study 5 EI Nino occurs when weather patterns in the tropical Pacific shift violently. Normally, strong westward-blowing trade winds off South America push surface water toward Asia, Just as blowing on hot coffee pushes the liquid up against the opposite side of the cup, the trade winds pile warm water against the coastlines of Australia, Indonesia and the philippines. above the warm water, moist air rises lowering atmospheric pressure and triggering the tropical showers that nourish the rain forests of Asia. Meanwhile high-altitude winds travel back toward south america. there, the cooled air sinks raising atmospheric pressure and suppressing rain along most of the Pacific coast, making it one of the driest regions in the world
5 El Niñ o occurs when weather patterns in the tropical Pacific shift violently. Normally, strong westward-blowing trade winds off South America push surface water toward Asia. Just as blowing on hot coffee pushes the liquid up against the opposite side of the cup, the trade winds pile warm water against the coastlines of Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Above the warm water, moist air rises, lowering atmospheric pressure and triggering the tropical showers that nourish the rain forests of Asia. Meanwhile high-altitude winds travel back toward South America. There, the cooled air sinks, raising atmospheric pressure and suppressing rain along most of the Pacific coast, making it one of the driest regions in the world. Intensive Study
Intensive Study 6 But with El Nino, the pattern reverses. Atmospheric pressure in the Western Pacific rises, setting the stage for drought from Australia to India. the trade winds decrease, or in extreme years reverse to blow eastward. as a result a huge mass of warm water flows back toward South America, causing storms from Chile to California Meanwhile, over the Pacific, ten-mile- high storm clouds further heat the atmosphere, fueling a stronger-than-normal iet stream, which often splits in two. One branch moves north, warming the Pacific Northwest, central Canada and alaska. Another branch surges south producing heavy rains in the U.S. Gulf States and Southwest
6 But with El Niñ o, the pattern reverses. Atmospheric pressure in the Western Pacific rises, setting the stage for drought from Australia to India. The trade winds decrease, or in extreme years reverse to blow eastward. As a result, a huge mass of warm water flows back toward South America, causing storms from Chile to California. Meanwhile, over the Pacific, ten-mile-high storm clouds further heat the atmosphere, fueling a stronger-than-normal jet stream, which often splits in two. One branch moves north, warming the Pacific Northwest, central Canada and Alaska. Another branch surges south, producing heavy rains in the U.S. Gulf States and Southwest. Intensive Study
Intensive Study 7 El Nino's vast impact on humans has often been catastrophic The El Nino of 1982-83 inflicted $13 billion in damage and claimed some 2,000 lives In australia day turned to night when a dust storm blanketed Melbourne; brush fires raged in its wake. In place of its normal monsoon, Southern India got dried-up crops and the threat of mass starvation at the same time violent rainstorms devastated the Western Hemisphere: Peru's fishing industry -once one of the richest in the world - was wiped out, and seaside towns were washed into the pacific
7 El Niñ o's vast impact on humans has often been catastrophic. The El Niñ o of 1982-83 inflicted $13 billion in damage and claimed some 2,000 lives. In Australia day turned to night when a dust storm blanketed Melbourne; brush fires raged in its wake. In place of its normal monsoon, Southern India got dried-up crops and the threat of mass starvation. At the same time, violent rainstorms devastated the Western Hemisphere: Peru’s fishing industry — once one of the richest in the world — was wiped out, and seaside towns were washed into the Pacific. Intensive Study
Intensive Study 8 is there a good side to el nino? there can be. Zebiak notes that the number of tropical hurricanes in the atlantic is reduced during an El Nino year. One theory is that winds created by El nino shear off the tops of Atlantic hurricanes, aborting them before they reach full force. and a team of scientists in israel who study tree rings and satellite cloud pictures concluded that El Nino may bring precious moisture to the thirsty Middle East. " It is perhaps fitting that El Nino the Christ child - should have a link to the Holy Land, notes scientist Dan Yakir
8 Is there a good side to El Niñ o? There can be. Zebiak notes that the number of tropical hurricanes in the Atlantic is reduced during an El Niñ o year. One theory is that winds created by El Niñ o shear off the tops of Atlantic hurricanes, aborting them before they reach full force. And a team of scientists in Israel who study tree rings and satellite cloud pictures concluded that El Niñ o may bring precious moisture to the thirsty Middle East. “It is perhaps fitting that El Niñ o — the Christ child — should have a link to the Holy Land, ” notes scientist Dan Yakir. Intensive Study