Describe the source and effects of an El Niño event
What will be an ideal response?
ANSWER: In an El Niño event, trade winds across the Pacific weaken and warm, shallow water accumulates at the eastern edge of the Pacific along the coast of South America. The event brings abnormally heavy rainfall to the western coast of the Americas from California to Peru. Australia, Indonesia, and southeast Asia experience drier than normal conditions that increase the danger of drought and wildfires. The event can affect global weather patterns.
A successful answer will
- identify the source of the event as a buildup of abnormally warm water along the coast of South America,
- identify increased rainfall along the eastern side of the Pacific as an effect, and
- identify increased drought in the western Pacific as an effect.
You might also like to view...
The first law at the national level to have a substantial impact on air pollution in the United States was the ________
Fill in the blank(s) with the appropriate word(s).
The origin of English words is dominated by
A) Germanic languages. B) Romance languages. C) Greek. D) Celtic influence. E) Viking influence.
Weather forecasts beyond about ________ are not very accurate
a. 2 weeks b. 7 days c. 6 hours d. 2 days
Which of the following is a causal element of polar climates?
A) High precipitation, primarily in the form of snow. B) Low surface albedo due to ground cover. C) High sun altitude during the summer months. D) Extremes of daylength between summer and winter.