It is a cyclical climatic phenomenon that wreaks havoc worldwide, the most affected being South America and the areas between Indonesia and Australia, thus causing the warming of South American waters.
Its name refers to the baby Jesus, because the phenomenon occurs around Christmas time in the Pacific Ocean, along the coast of South America. The name of the phenomenon is El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). It is a syndrome with more than 7 millennia of occurrence.
In the tropical Pacific Ocean "El Niño" is detected by different methods, from satellites and floating buoys to sea level analysis, obtaining important data on the conditions on the ocean surface. For example, buoys measure temperature, currents and winds in the equatorial band, all this information is transmitted to researchers around the world.
The phenomenon begins in the tropical Pacific Ocean, near Australia and Indonesia, thus altering the atmospheric pressure in areas very distant from each other, there are changes in the direction and speed of the winds.
Under normal conditions, also called Non-Infant conditions, the trade winds (blowing from east to west) pile a great deal of water and heat in the western part of this ocean. Therefore, the sea surface level is about half a meter higher in Indonesia than off the coasts of Peru and Ecuador. Also, the difference in sea surface temperature is around 8 ° C between both areas of the Pacific.
Cold temperatures occur in South America as deep waters rise and produce nutrient-rich water that maintains the marine ecosystem. In Non-Infant conditions, the relatively humid and rainy areas are found in Southeast Asia, while in South America it is relatively dry.
Consequences of the phenomenon worldwide
Consequences of the infantile phenomenon for South America
- Heavy rains.
- Warming of the Humboldt Current or Current of Peru.
- Fishing losses.
- Intense cloud formation.
- Very wet periods.
- Low atmospheric pressure.
In Mexico, the El Niño phenomenon causes important changes in the climate, causing warming of the sea, drought conditions in the center of the country, heavy rains in sections of the country and generally wet winters.
