Definitions:

El Niño - Unusually warm surface water temperatures in the Pacific ocean caused by weak or reversed direction trade winds.

La Niña - Unusually cold surface water temperatures in the Pacific ocean caused by strong easterly trade winds.

Strange phenomenon occur during an El Niño and

La Niña like...

Strange phenomenon occur during an El Niño and

La Niña like...

Brush fires caused by drought in Texas (La Niña)

Increased Tropical Storms (La Niña)

Hurricane Floyd was HUGE! (1999 - La Niña)

Causing devastating floods in Australia (2010-2011 La

Niña)

Peruvian anchovy populations declined (El

Niño)

NO!!!

Scientists have found no significant correlation between El Niño and La Niña weather patterns and increased tornadoes.

More tornadoes through tornado alley?

What causes an El Niño?

What causes an El Niño?

What causes a La Niña?

Strong trade winds blow surface water towards east, creating colder surface temperatures off South American coast.

Sea surface anomalies associated with El Niño

SST differences between El Niño and La Niña

A

B

C

QUIZ! Which is which…Normal, El Niño, La Niña?

Were you’re predictions correct?

How can we predict an El Niño or La Niña

event?

Need measurements to make predictions

NOAA drifting buoys

Measures...temperatur

ecurrentswinds

Satellites

Instruments on satellites measure wind, waves, temperature of the sea surface, ocean color, ocean surface currents, and tides.

TOPEX/Poseidon (1992)

TOPEX/Poseidon (T/P) helps predict El Niño and

La Niña

Videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR5VPAqVQBw    El Nino explanation video  3min

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEAv-9TZktY   La Nina

explanation video  3.5min   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWTucpsClLc  Austin newscast in

January talking about Australia flooding  2min   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5x8dJ57xkk  Texas weatherman

predictions for this year from July 2010.   about 3min   http://esminfo.prenhall.com/science/geoanimations/animations/26_

NinoNina.html    All three animations