EL NIÑO & THE SOUTHERN OSCILLATION: MONITORING A GLOBAL PHENOMENON WITH LOCAL DATA EL NIÑO & THE SOUTHERN OSCILLATION: MONITORING A GLOBAL PHENOMENON WITH LOCAL DATA

EL NIÑO & THE SOUTHERN OSCILLATION: MONITORING A GLOBAL PHENOMENON WITH LOCAL DATA
EL NIÑO & THE SOUTHERN OSCILLATION: MONITORING A GLOBAL PHENOMENON WITH LOCAL DATA

Purpose

This activity will address the effects of El Nino and the Southern Oscillation (ENSO) across spatial scales, with particular attention directed to the influence of this phenomenon in the southern Appalachian Mountains.

Learning Outcomes

Distinguish the differences between El Niño and La Niña indicators • Gain familiarity with the website: http://www.noaa.gov
• Accurately interpret data presented in figures, tables, and graphs
• Recognize relationships between ENSO and weather in our region • Consider the biological impacts of the abiotic ENSO phenomenon
Background on ENSO

El Niño (EN) is characterized by unusually warm ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific, as opposed to La Niña, which characterized by unusually cold ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific. El Niño is an oscillation of the ocean-atmosphere system in the tropical Pacific having important consequences for weather around the globe. These phenomena are often analyzed in conjunction with the Southern Oscillation (SO), a comparison of atmospheric pressures in the southwestern Pacific Ocean to those in the southeastern Pacific Ocean.

ENSO news reports often focus on the phenomenon’s impact on South American weather, wildlife, and commerce. While it is important to remember that El Niño brings Peru rain, mudslides, and poor fishing (while La Niña produces the opposite), scientific research suggests broader meteorological impacts. What impacts the atmosphere, ultimately affects the biosphere.

Part I: A National Perspective

The figures below show “winter” snowfall values for the contiguous United States for the years 1948–2006.

The top map shows mean snowfall amounts based on the 38 “neutral years” (i.e., neither El Niño nor La Niña years). The map on the lower left shows the average departure from that mean during the ten El Niño years, while the map on the lower right shows average departures for the eleven La Niña years. All values are in inches.

Explanation & Answer

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