Science Common Sense
926 - What is El Niño, and how does it impact global weather?
El Niño is a big weather event that happens every few years in the Pacific Ocean near the equator. It's like a big warm wave that changes the normal weather patterns. Here's how it works:
Normally, the winds in the Pacific blow from east to west, and the water is cooler near South America and warmer near Asia. But during El Niño, the winds change direction, and the warm water moves towards South America.
This warm water heats up the air above it, making big storms and changing the weather all around the world. Some of the things that can happen during El Niño are:
- Heavy rain in South America and the US
- Drought in Australia and Indonesia
- Stronger hurricanes in the Atlantic
- Warmer winters in North America
- Heavy flooding in some places
It's like a big seesaw: when one part of the world gets extra rain, another part gets extra dry. El Niño can be very unpredictable, but scientists try to forecast when it will happen to help people prepare.