In the field of weather in meteorology there are numerous terms to call the best known and influential meteorological phenomena in the global climate. One of the best known worldwide is the El Niño phenomenon. The El Niño phenomenon is a natural climate pattern that periodically affects several regions of the world, especially in the tropical Pacific region. It is characterized by an unusual warming of the surface waters of the Equatorial Pacific Ocean, which has important repercussions on the climate and the environment globally.
In this ecology article, we will tell you What is the El Niño phenomenon, its causes and consequencesas well as other data such as how it affects Spain.
What is El Niño phenomenon
The child is associated with the South Oscillation, which are fluctuations in air pressure on the eastern and western halves of the Pacific Ocean. Generally, the atmosphere on the eastern part of the South Pacific is dominated by persistent high pressure areas, while the western region is dominated by low pressure areas.
The name “El Niño” comes from the term in Spanish that means “the Child Jesus” and is used because this phenomenon often It manifests during the Christmas season in the Tropical Pacific region. His counterpart, known as the girl, refers to a cooling of the waters of the Equatorial Pacific.
Water heating of the Pacific Ocean during a El Niño event triggers a series of changes in climatic patterns. It is important to note that the child is not a static phenomenon; Its intensity and duration vary in each event. In addition, not all regions are affected in the same way, and some places may experience more noticeable effects than others.
Causes of the El Niño phenomenon
The causes of the El Niño phenomenon are found in the climate system of the Earth and are related to the interaction between the ocean and the atmosphere in the tropical region of the Pacific. These are:
- Variations in the surface temperature of the sea: The child begins with the unusual warming of the surface waters of the Equatorial Pacific Ocean. Normally, the winds blows from this to west in this region and push warm waters west, accumulating them in the Western Pacific region. However, during an El Niño event, these Alisios winds decrease their intensity or even reversed, allowing warm waters to move east.
- Change in atmospheric circulation: Water heating in the Pacific Equatorial Region changes global atmospheric circulation. The warm and humid air rises in the East of the Pacific, which generates a series of cascade effects. This includes a weakening of atmospheric convection in the Western Pacific region, which can lead to droughts in places such as Australia and Indonesia. At the same time, more intense rain patterns are triggered in South America, contributing to floods.
- Interaction with other climatic patterns: The child does not operate in a vacuum and can interact with other climatic patterns, such as the oscillation of the North Atlantic and the oscillation of the South Atlantic. These interactions can amplify or mitigate the effects of the child in various regions of the world.
- Natural cycle: The El Niño phenomenon is part of a natural cycle. Together with her counterpart, the girl, this cycle is repeated approximately every 2 to 7 years. The natural variability in the atmosphere and the ocean plays an important role in the occurrence of these events.
Consequences of the El Niño phenomenon
Changes in normal climatic patterns could cause floods and create lagoons In what was once a desert. In addition, the child can provoke droughts And sometimes, forest fires in humid tropical forests of some of the most humid regions of the earth. Here you can know some consequences of forest fires.
Its impact is global and extends from Canada to New Zealand, from north to south and from east to west throughout the world. The effects are feeling many species, from phytoplankton to humans.
Changes in normal oceanic circulation patterns can cause important disturbances in the marine biosphere. When the child takes place, they exist Changes in rainfall patterns that can cause heavy rains in areas where it normally rains. Precipitation can provide large amounts of water to normally dry areas, such as the Peruvian coast. However, if mountain rainfall becomes snow, strong rainfall could wreak havoc, causing floods and landslides.
The El Niño phenomenon in Spain
The El Niño phenomenon can have an impact on the climate of Spain, although this impact is variable and depends on the intensity and duration of the El Niño event in a particular year. During El Niño’s events, Spain can experience a more irregular rains pattern than usual. In some regions, such as the northeast of Spain, you can observe drier conditions than normal, which Increase drought risk. In this link you can read about droughts in Spain.
This phenomenon tends to be associated with an increase in global temperatures, and Spain is no exception. During an El Niño event, you can expect a Increase in temperatures average. The warmer and dry conditions can increase the Forest fire risk In Spain.
The El Niño phenomenon can influence atmospheric circulation in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, which, in turn, can affect the formation and behavior of high and low pressure systems. This can have an impact on the distribution of rainfall and the intensity of weather systems that affect Spain.
Differences between the El Niño and the girl phenomenon
You could say that The boy is the warm phase of a meteorological phenomenon and the girl is the cold phasealthough it is more complicated than that. Are Opposite phases of complex climatic patterns that can alter global temperatures and climate change, causing extreme atmospheric effects throughout the planet.
The child occurs more frequently That the girl, and both can last almost a full year and times more. In the ocean itself, when a region is heated, another cools. There is a balance, and the changes include several continents, causing, for example, droughts in Africa and rainfall in the Americas. Change all the weather.
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