By some oceanic and climatic mystery that remains unsolved, el Nino and la Nina have a powerful influence over the weather conditions in many parts of the world. These events, which tend to alternate in cycles of 3-6 years, can alter seasons, upset fisheries, and increase the occurrence of extreme weather such as floods, droughts, hurricanes, and cyclones. Over the past two years in California, el Nino played a role in everything from nerve-wracking drought to vanishing Chinook salmon. As a result, it was easy to blame el Nino for anything that was at least slightly annoying. Rain on my birthday? Hot temperatures on the day that I decided to wear lined wool pants? Flight delays at SFO? Damn you el Nino.
Sunday, September 19, 2010
She's baaaack...
Recent reports by NOAA revealed that la Nina has returned to the tropical Pacific and strengthened over the month of August. The sister of el Nino, La Nina is the cool phase of the ocean warming phenomenon, during which surface temperatures of the equatorial east-central Pacific change by at least 0.5 degrees Celsius. Last month, temperatures dropped by 1.3 - 1.8 degrees. It seems like this chilly little girl is back, and she may be sticking around into 2011.
By some oceanic and climatic mystery that remains unsolved, el Nino and la Nina have a powerful influence over the weather conditions in many parts of the world. These events, which tend to alternate in cycles of 3-6 years, can alter seasons, upset fisheries, and increase the occurrence of extreme weather such as floods, droughts, hurricanes, and cyclones. Over the past two years in California, el Nino played a role in everything from nerve-wracking drought to vanishing Chinook salmon. As a result, it was easy to blame el Nino for anything that was at least slightly annoying. Rain on my birthday? Hot temperatures on the day that I decided to wear lined wool pants? Flight delays at SFO? Damn you el Nino.
By some oceanic and climatic mystery that remains unsolved, el Nino and la Nina have a powerful influence over the weather conditions in many parts of the world. These events, which tend to alternate in cycles of 3-6 years, can alter seasons, upset fisheries, and increase the occurrence of extreme weather such as floods, droughts, hurricanes, and cyclones. Over the past two years in California, el Nino played a role in everything from nerve-wracking drought to vanishing Chinook salmon. As a result, it was easy to blame el Nino for anything that was at least slightly annoying. Rain on my birthday? Hot temperatures on the day that I decided to wear lined wool pants? Flight delays at SFO? Damn you el Nino.
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