Image above: The image shows what happens when a very strong El Nino strikes surface waters in the Central equatorial Pacific Ocean. The sequence shows warm water anomalies (red) develop in the Central Pacific Ocean. Winds that normally blow in a westerly direction weaken allowing the easterly winds to push the warm water up against the South American Coast. Credit: NASA

El Nino or El Nina is a phenomenon of the abnormal rise in temperature of surface ocean waters in the eastern tropical Pacific (Between South America and Indonesia). Also known as the Southern Oscillation the warm current is heated eastward (towards Indonesia), replacing the cold nutrient-rich surface water which supports a good fish habitat. As El Nino can last up to months, the fishing industry can be badly affected.

Current signs have proved that El Nino is on a strike back since its last occurrence in 2005. The following recent occurrences coincides with the signs of El Nino:

1. Rise in water surface pressure over Indian Ocean, Indonesia and Australia
2. Fall of air pressure over Central and Eastern Pacific Ocean
3. Trade winds in the south Pacific weakens and heads towards East (Indonesia)
4. Warm water spreads from west Pacific and Indian Ocean to the east Pacific, taking rain with it, causing drought in the western Pacific and rainfall in the normally dry eastern Pacofic.

This phenomenon can be seen to have a see-saw pattern. When the surface pressure is high in the eastern tropical Pacific, it is low in the tropical Pacific. And so happens in the vice-versa. See below to further understand what El Nino is:

Normal Conditions

El Nino Conditions

Scientists do not really understand how El Nino forms. It is believed that El Nino may have contributed to the 1993 Mississippi and 1995 California floods, drought conditions in South America, Africa and Australia. It is also believed that El Nino contributed to the lack of serious storms such as hurricanes in the North Atlantic which spared states like Florida from serious storm related damage.¹

In order to curb against El Nino, we urge all to conserve water usage in embrace for the drought and temperature to worsen. x

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1. El Nino | http://kids.earth.nasa.gov