What a Strong El Niño Means for Green Country

El Niño is the cyclical warming of the equatorial waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean, which occurs every two to seven years. This oscillation in the currents known as ENSO, (El Niño Southern Oscillation) dictates not only water temperature at the surface, but prevailing winds, air temperature and weather patterns worldwide.

Climate scientists started seeing a trend toward El Niño this year months ago as sea surface temperatures began to warm from our most recent La Niña (which refers to the cooler than average waters over the same ocean region). Long-range computer models now consistently show a very strong El Niño developing, which is defined as warming beyond 2° Celcius above average. The downstream impacts are dictated by the strength of the El Niño pattern that can last for up to 2 years. It starts with a change in strength and even direction of the trade winds above this region of water. The "Easterlies" weaken and sometimes can even reverse. This has many impacts beyond this Tropical region of the planet.

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