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Weather and Climate

Extreme weather and ENSO

  • 3 things to know
  • A2 Unit 4

Overview

Normal conditions in the Pacific in a non-El Niño year, what happens during an El Niño event and la Niña.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started
Key term

What does ENSO stand for?

Key term

Describe normal conditions in the Pacific in a non-El Niño year.

Key term

Describe what happens during an El Niño event.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    What does ENSO stand for?

    Model answer

    El Niño Southern Oscillation.

  2. 2

    Describe normal conditions in the Pacific in a non-El Niño year.

    Model answer

    Trade winds blow from east to west, piling warm water in the western Pacific, while cold water upwells off South America.

  3. 3

    Describe what happens during an El Niño event.

    Model answer

    The trade winds weaken or reverse, warm water spreads back east across the Pacific, and the upwelling off South America is suppressed.

  4. 4

    Give two consequences of El Niño for South America.

    Model answer

    Heavy rainfall and flooding on the normally arid Pacific coast, and the collapse of the anchovy fishery as nutrient-rich upwelling stops.

  5. 5

    Give two consequences of El Niño for Australia and Indonesia.

    Model answer

    Drought and an increased risk of wildfire, with crop failure in the affected regions.

  6. 6

    What is La Niña?

    Model answer

    La Niña is the opposite phase, in which the trade winds strengthen, upwelling intensifies and the eastern Pacific becomes unusually cool.

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