Environment

Etc! More Science News Out There...

El Nino Is Back

Submitted by LiveScience Staff

posted: 11 July 2009 12:27 pm ET

: During El Nino, the surface of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of South American (brown region at right) is warmer (red) as cool water below (blue) does not upwell effectively. Click to see how it's different during non-El Nino times. Credit: NOAA

We told you last month that El Nino was poised to return. Now NOAA scientists this week announced its formal arrival.

The good news: possibly reduced hurricane activity. The bad news: possibly heavier rain in the Southern United States (which is actually good news for drought-stricken areas).

El Nino is the periodic warming of central and eastern tropical Pacific waters. It occurs on average every two to five years and typically lasts about 12 months. Weekly eastern equatorial Pacific sea surface temperatures were at least 1.0 degree C above average at the end of June, scientists said. The most recent El Nino occurred in 2006.

How El Nino Works

Previous Etc. Article

Breast Cancer Treated Too Often

Next Etc. Article

Should Humans Meddle with Nature?

What Do YOU Think?

Share your thoughts with others - post a comment!

Or Start/Join a discussion in our forums

More Like This

Advertisement

Don't Miss It!

J.J. Kirby @ NYCC 2009

J.J. Kirby talks New Dynamix and more at the 2009 NY Comic Con.

Play Video

Most Popular

Recommended

Commented

Latest Community Activity

Threads

Posts

Comments

Users

VIKINGS
Last Post by rueh » 11/08/2009 4:13pm
EARTH
Last Post by rueh » 11/08/2009 1:15pm
Imagine If That Was True!
Last Post by rueh » 11/08/2009 11:54am

Posted on: Geneticist Professor David Goldstein, from University ...
by rueh » 11/08/2009 4:13pm
Posted on: In what regards of forgetting our ancestors are you ...
by rueh » 11/08/2009 1:15pm
Posted on: Well I certanly hope that they have changed the curiculum ...
by rueh » 11/08/2009 11:54am

astronomy_fan Commented on: Some of the Universe's First Galaxies Discovered
at 2009-11-08 18:45:19
talespinner59 Commented on: New Type of Supernova Discovered
at 2009-11-08 18:39:28
OhMyScience Commented on: Rugged, Scarred Terrain Seen in New Mars Images
at 2009-11-08 18:28:50

wanjek
Joined 04/15/2008
Last Comment on Do Hand Sanitizers Work?
at 10/30/2009 8:14am EDT
rueh
Joined 04/08/2008
Last Comment on Some of the Universe's First Galaxies Discovered
at 11/08/2009 6:23pm EST
secularhumanizinevoluter
Joined 03/26/2008
Last Comment on POLL: Your View of Human Evolution
at 11/08/2009 4:36pm EST

Advertisement