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What happens to marine life during El Niño?
An El Niño reduces the upwelling of cold water off the coast of the Americas. When this happens, fish either die or migrate into areas where they’ll find more to eat. Marine mammals, such as seals and sea lions, that feed on fish may be affected.
What are some changes that occur during El Niño year?
During an El Niño event, westward-blowing trade winds weaken along the Equator. These changes in air pressure and wind speed cause warm surface water to move eastward along the Equator, from the western Pacific to the coast of northern South America.
How does El Niño affect ocean waters?
During an El Niño event, the surface waters in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean become significantly warmer than usual. It also reduces the upwelling of cooler, nutrient-rich waters from the deep—shutting down or reversing ocean currents along the equator and along the west coast of South and Central America.
What changes occur in the Pacific Ocean during El Niño?
An El Niño condition occurs when surface water in the equatorial Pacific becomes warmer than average and east winds blow weaker than normal. The opposite condition is called La Niña. During this phase of ENSO, the water is cooler than normal and the east winds are stronger. El Niños typically occur every 3 to 5 years.
Why is La Niña called little girl?
In Spanish, El Niño means “the little boy” and La Niña means “the little girl.” They are sort of like a brother and sister. La Niña causes water in the eastern Pacific to be colder than usual. In the same region, El Niño can cause the water to be warmer than usual.
What is a positive effect of El Niño?
On the other hand, in the United States, El Niño typically brings wet weather to California (benefiting lime, almond, and avocado crops, among others), warmer winters in the Northeast, increased rainfall in the South, diminished tornado activity in the Midwest, and a decrease in the number of hurricanes that hit the …
What are the effects of La Nina?
La Niña causes the jet stream to move northward and to weaken over the eastern Pacific. During La Niña winters, the South sees warmer and drier conditions than usual. The North and Canada tend to be wetter and colder. During La Niña, waters off the Pacific coast are colder and contain more nutrients than usual.
What are the effects of El Nino on the ocean?
Among the variations in oceanographic features that are observed following an El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event are changes in sea-surface temperatures, changes in the vertical, thermal structure of the ocean (particularly in coastal regions), and altered coastal and upwelling currents.
What happens to the phytoplankton during El Nino?
El Niño and La Niña play with the populations of microscopic ocean plants called phytoplankton. That’s what scientists have found using NASA satellite data and a computer model.
How often do El Nino and La Nina occur?
An El Niño condition occurs when surface water in the equatorial Pacific becomes warmer than average and east winds blow weaker than normal. The opposite condition is called La Niña. During this phase of ENSO, the water is cooler than normal and the east winds are stronger. El Niños typically occur every 3 to 5 years.
What happens to salmon during an El Nino?
Increased mortalities and reduced growth have been noted in Pacific salmon populations off Oregon and Washington after previous El Niño events.