We bet everyone's been experiencing the brutal summer this year. There is no doubt that the weather patterns lately have gone haywire!
Speaking of the weather, there is something we thought might be share-worthy. It's about El Niño and La Nina.
No, these aren't our twin friends. These are naturally occurring climate patterns.
In March 2023, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) warned of a likely global temperature spike due to the warming El Niño event.
Many years ago, the fishermen of Peru went out on the Pacific coast of South America to fish in the nutrient-rich water.
One day, as they sailed farther out to sea, they noticed a change in the water's temperature. It got warmer! ☀️
To their horror, the fishermen also observed changes in ocean currents that accompanied these warm spells.
These changes caused the nutrient-rich cold waters to be pushed away from the coastline, leading to a sharp decline in the fish population.
They called these events El Niño, as they occurred in December or January, around Christmas.🎄
El Niño in Spanish means "the Christ child" or "the little boy".👶
Sadly, the fishermen could not find the reason for these events, and they finally learned to adjust to El Niño.
They created new fishing techniques and found alternative income sources.
But, over the years, scientists have reasoned it out. Let us explain.
There is something called trade winds, which blow from the east to the west.
As these trade winds blow across the Pacific Ocean, warm water is taken away from South America into Asia.
But during El Niño, the trade winds weaken, and warm water is pushed back east, toward the west coast of South America.
So the warm water that had been moving westward now flows back toward the east. EEEP! 🌊
Now why the trade wind reverses is still a mystery, and scientists are figuring it out.
La Niña
It's just the opposite of El Niño.
During La Niña events, trade winds are stronger than usual, pushing warm water toward Asia.
BTW, La Niña is Spanish for "Little Girl."👧
Both El Niño and La Niña can have various weather impacts around the globe. And the impacts can vary. Read more
Speaking about India, El Niño may have an impact on the southwest monsoon season, according to current forecasts. Read more
The southwest monsoon provides over 70% of total rainfall in India, on which most farmers still rely. So chances of drought are very likely.
Also, climate change combined with El Niño is creating havoc!
The recent heat waves are just one example of extreme weather events becoming more common as the planet warms.🔥
But El Niño is a natural event and cannot be prevented. The best we can do is be prepared for its occurrence instead of panicking.
So, drink more water, stay hydrated, and keep an eye on your domestic water consumption. This year, our country may need more water than required.
And, of course, mitigating climate change is always on the to-do list.
P.S. - Between 2001 and 2020, India saw seven El Nino years. Four of these resulted in droughts (2003, 2005, 2009-10, 2015-16).
That's a wrap for this week! Stay tuned for more fun and informative content coming your way soon! ⌛
Also, did you miss out on our previous newsletters? No need to fret; you can catch up on all of them by clicking the link here. Simply Climate 🌍📩💻"
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