5 Questions
Explain what trade winds are and where they are located.
Trade winds are prevailing winds that lie between the equator and 30 degrees north and south of the equator.
What is El Nino and La Nina?
El Nino and La Nina are part of the El Nino Southern Oscillation cycle, which is a cycle of varying climate patterns that drastically impact weather over the Pacific Ocean.
What are the three phases of the El Nino Southern Oscillation cycle?
The three phases are Neutral, El Nino, and La Nina.
How often do El Nino and La Nina events occur?
El Nino and La Nina events occur every 2-7 years.
What are the main impacts of El Nino?
The main impacts of El Nino include weakening trade winds, increase in ocean surface temperatures, affecting rainfall, atmospheric winds, and the polar jet stream.
Study Notes
Global Wind Patterns
- Trade Winds: persistent winds that blow from the east towards the west, near the equator, in the tropics, and are caused by the rotation of the Earth and the unequal heating of the atmosphere by the sun.
El Nino and La Nina
- El Nino: a complex weather phenomenon characterized by warmer-than-normal sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean, near the equator, leading to changes in the atmospheric circulation and altering global climate patterns.
- La Nina: a complex weather phenomenon characterized by cooler-than-normal sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean, near the equator, leading to changes in the atmospheric circulation and altering global climate patterns.
El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Cycle
- Three phases: El Nino, La Nina, and Neutral (normal conditions), which repeat in an irregular cycle, with each phase lasting from 9 to 12 months.
- Phase transition: El Nino and La Nina events can transition into each other, or into a Neutral phase, which can last for several years.
Frequency of El Nino and La Nina Events
- El Nino events: occur every 2 to 7 years, with an average duration of 9 to 12 months.
- La Nina events: occur every 3 to 5 years, with an average duration of 9 to 12 months.
Impacts of El Nino
- Global climate patterns: alters global climate patterns, leading to droughts in some regions and heavy rainfall in others.
- Weather extremes: increases the likelihood of weather extremes, such as hurricanes, wildfires, and floods.
- Agriculture: affects agricultural production, leading to crop failures and food shortages.
- Ecosystems: disrupts ecosystems, leading to changes in marine life, coral bleaching, and forest fires.
Test your knowledge of weather patterns and oceanic phenomena with this quiz on trade winds, El Nino, and La Nina. Learn about the impact of these natural cycles on climate patterns and their occurrence every 2-7 years.
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