El Niño

E23333

El Niño is a climate pattern characterized by unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, which can disrupt weather patterns worldwide.


Statements (53)
Predicate Object
instanceOf climate pattern
large-scale ocean–atmosphere phenomenon
phase of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation
affects global climate
associatedWith changes in atmospheric circulation
eastward shift of warm surface waters in the Pacific
weakening of the trade winds in the tropical Pacific
canCause disruption of normal weather patterns worldwide
drought in Australia
drought in Indonesia
drought in parts of the western Pacific
increased rainfall in parts of the eastern Pacific
warmer and drier conditions in parts of Southeast Asia
warmer and drier conditions in parts of northern Australia
canInfluence Atlantic hurricane activity
Indian monsoon rainfall
Pacific hurricane activity
global average surface temperature
canLeadTo coral bleaching in some tropical regions
crop failures in affected regions
fishery disruptions off the west coast of South America
flooding in parts of the Americas
characterizedBy unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the central tropical Pacific Ocean
unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean
classifiedBy strength of sea surface temperature anomalies
discoveredBy Peruvian fishermen
hasAlternativeName El Niño event
warm phase of ENSO
hasOppositePhase La Niña
hasType moderate El Niño
strong El Niño
very strong El Niño
weak El Niño
impactOn agriculture
fisheries
public health
water resources
measuredBy Southern Oscillation Index
sea surface temperature anomalies
measuredInRegion Niño 3.4 region of the tropical Pacific
monitoredBy National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
World Meteorological Organization
nameOrigin Spanish term meaning “the Christ Child”
notableEvent 1982–1983 El Niño
1997–1998 El Niño
2015–2016 El Niño
occursIn tropical Pacific Ocean
partOf El Niño–Southern Oscillation
studiedInField climatology
meteorology
oceanography
typicallyPeaksIn boreal winter
typicalRecurrenceInterval 2 to 7 years

Referenced by (12)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
El Niño ("1982–1983 El Niño")
El Niño ("1997–1998 El Niño")
El Niño ("2015–2016 El Niño")
notableEvent
Nazca culture ("El Niño events")
declineFactors
Southern Oscillation ("El Niño events")
drives
La Niña
hasOpposite
El Niño–Southern Oscillation
hasWarmPhase
Southern Oscillation
relatedTo
Jellyfish Lake ("El Niño events")
threat
Niño 3.4 index ("El Niño often defined when anomalies exceed about +0.5 °C for several consecutive overlapping seasons")
thresholdConvention
Humboldt Current ("El Niño events")
weakenedDuring
Leeuwin Current ("El Niño events")
weakerDuring

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