El Niño Will Be Returning for 2009 - 2010 Winter Season

The full name of an El Niño is El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). It is more commonly referred to as just El Niño to make it simple. Scientist from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has announced on July 9, 2009 that El Niño will be returning for the winter season of 2009-2010. Forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said that the sea surface temperature climbed to 1.0 degree Fahrenheit above average along a narrow band in the eastern equatorial Pacific in June. This is above normal temperature that climbed very quickly.

What is an El Niño?

El Niño is a global coupled ocean-atmosphere phenomenon. The name El Niño comes from the Spanish name for "the little boy" and also refers to the Christ Child. The reason is because when the phenomenon of an El Niño happens, it is normally around Christmas time. It usually happens in the Pacific Ocean off the west coast of South America.

What are the signs of an El Niño for winter season?

There are many signs that we will be having an El Niño season. You will see a rise in the surface pressure over the Indian Ocean, Indonesia, and Australia. There will be a fall in air pressure over Tahiti and the rest of the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. The trade winds in the south Pacific weaken or they head east. Warm air will rise near Peru, which will cause it to rain in the northern Peruvian deserts. Warm water will spread from the west Pacific and the Indian Ocean to the east Pacific.

What can happen during an El Niño?

An El Niño normally produces a lot of rain, floods, and other disturbances in range of locations around the world. It basically affects the Pacific and Indian Ocean and it will affect the Atlantic Ocean lagged behind those in the Pacific by 12 to 18 months. It can become very serious for the local fishing for an international market because of the warm water affects the populations of food fish.

The last El Niño began in September 2006 and it lasted until early July of 2007. Since July 2007, El Niño has been a little quiet until now.

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2009/20090709_elnino.html

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