Background on ENSO

 

ENSO stands for El Niño and La Niña /Southern Oscillation.

 

El Niño occurs when the water temperature in the middle of the Pacific Ocean near the equator warms up. During El Niño years, the Southeastern US is usually cooler and wetter. In fact, El Niño years typically have a decreased risk of wildfires and drought. "I love El Nino in the winter,'' Texas Forest Service spokesman Mark Stanford said. "You can expect regular precipitation that will keep fire danger low.''

 

The opposite of El Niño is La Niña, which occurs when the water temperature in the Pacific Ocean near the equator cools down. During La Niña years, the Southeastern US is usually warmer and drier.

 

El Niño and La Niña affect other parts of the world through the Southern Oscillation and so-called "teleconnections." Teleconnections happen because El Niño and La Niña occur over a large area and a large period of time.

Links related to El Niño and La Niña:

Current El Nino Status

El Niño story

La Niña story

El Niño linked to decreased wildfires