What happens during La Niña?

During La Niña events, strong winds push warm water towards Asia and upwelling increases of the west coast of the Americas. This means that cold, nutrient-rich water rises to the surface in the Pacific, which pushes the jet stream northward.

Which part of the Pacific Ocean is likely to experience heavy rains during El Niño?

As the warm ocean surface warms the atmosphere above it, moisture-rich air rises and develops into rain clouds. So while the majority of precipitation tends to occur over the west Pacific warm pool in neutral years, much more develops over the central and eastern Pacific during an El Niño event.

What causes El Niño?

El Niño occurs when warm water builds up along the equator in the eastern Pacific. The warm ocean surface warms the atmosphere, which allows moisture-rich air to rise and develop into rainstorms. The clearest example of El Niño in this series of images is 1997.

What unusual event occurs during El Niño?

El Niño is a climate pattern that describes the unusual warming of surface waters in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. Trade winds and atmosphere are also impacted by El Niño. El Niño is a climate pattern that describes the unusual warming of surface waters in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.

What is the effect of the presence of El Niño in the western Pacific Ocean?

During an El Niño event, sea surface temperatures over the central and eastern Pacific become warmer than normal. The normal easterly trade winds weaken and sometimes, the winds will switch and blow from the west to the east!

What are the effects of El Niño in the Pacific Northwest?

El Niño generally diverts the jet stream, and thus winter storms, into California, leaving the Pacific Northwest high and dry (comparatively). These winters often have low precipitation and mild winters in the Pacific Northwest, sometimes resulting in a poor mountain snowpack.