How El Nino affects the weather?
El Nino, while in the overall effect in that it happens every two or three years, can be considered a normal weather aberration, yet it plays fast and loose with the weather conditions of the rest of the world. To learn more puzzling aspects of the weather ask Kidzworld.com. They have it all figured out and will tell you in simple terms that El Nino, a word meaning Christ Child, is a playful term meaning a turn-around from the usual climatic conditions in the Equatorial Pacific Ocean.
Normally, in and around Ecuador and Peru in December, the wind travels up the west coast of South America and nearing the equator, turns westward toward Asia. Water is at a higher level in the Western Pacific because of the shove of the waters by the wind; is lower in the Eastern Pacific. It is easy to see that some of the water belonging to this side of the ocean has gone over to the other side.
With the warm surface water along the Peruvian and Ecuadorian coasts moving westward by the wind, the turbulence forces waters deeper in the ocean to flow upward. This brings colder water and nourishment for the fish and other ocean inhabitants. This is normal and is an annual expectancy.
It can almost be likened to an old fashioned game of Red Rover where school children line up in two rows. Sometimes the two sides become unequal when too many children have gone to the other side. It is a predictable game. One side gains while the other loses. Once in while, however someone would forget the rules and the game would go haywire.
El Nino can be compared to that. El Nino is directly opposite from the normal pattern of the winds. About every three to eight years the opposite happens during this time in December. One online source, Answers.com said four to seven years was the time span between this opposing weather patterns.
The weather pattern of El Nino?
Instead of the Western Pacific gaining extra water at this time of the year, the water stays in the Eastern Pacific Basin around Peru and Ecuador and the winds are almost non-existent. If not exactly that they do not blow fast enough to push the warm water toward the west. Consequently, the water in the Western Pacific is lower.
This is no short affair; an El Nino usually lasts twelve to eighteen months. Answers. Com noted that at one time one lasted for four years. The consequence of throwing a monkey wrench into the usual natural weather patterns as El Nino does often cause world wide weather aberrations. The winds must begin to blow normally again before the situation returns to normal.
El Nino is rated second to seasonal changes as being the most important climatic influence on people and their activities worldwide. The two most recent were in 1997 and 2007; in 1997 the worst on history and is reported to have been responsible for the death of 2,100 people.
Normally, the Equatorial Pacific Ocean regions are excellent good fishing places. Then along comes an El Nino around Christmas Time and the fishermen are unable to fish because of the overly heated and low nutrient waters. This is the time for repairing their nets and staying home with their families. Is it any reason then that they named this deviant December time El Nino?
