During the development of El Niño, rainfall develops between September–November. El Niño phases are known to last close to four years however, records demonstrate that the cycles have lasted between two and seven years. The ENSO is the cycle of warm and cold sea surface temperature (SST) of the tropical central and eastern Pacific Ocean.Įl Niño is accompanied by high air pressure in the western Pacific and low air pressure in the eastern Pacific.
It is associated with a band of warm ocean water that develops in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific (approximately between the International Date Line and 120°W), including the area off the west coast of South America. 'The Boy') is an oceanic and atmospheric phenomenon that marks the warm phase of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). ( NOAA / PMEL / TAO)Įl Niño ( / ɛ l ˈ n iː n j oʊ/ el NEEN-yoh, Spanish: lit.
In the east local winds cause nutrient-rich cold water to upwell at the Equator and along the South American coast.
Normal Pacific pattern: Warm pool in the west drives deep atmospheric convection.