El Niņo
From the information given during the lab period, you will be able to answer most of these questions. Additional help can be found at www.elnino.noaa.gov and in Chapter 11 of your textbook.
Please write answers on your own sheet of paper.
What is El Nino? What is La Nina?
Describe how the Pacific Ocean surface temperatures vary for El Nino versus normal conditions.
How does the weakening of the Trade Winds affect coastal upwelling?
When were the two strongest El Nino events? (for past 20 years)
Describe how Pacific wind patterns change from normal to El Nino years. (Draw diagram showing normal wind pattern and another diagram showing El Nino wind patter)
How has El Nino affected weather patterns in
a) Australia?
b) Indonesia?
c) North America?
Give three examples of socio-economic impacts of El Nino.
How are El Nino events detected? What is ENSO?
Bonus Question:
Does El Nino affect storm development? If so, where and what are the effects?