El Niño
El Niño (pronounced el-NEEN-yo) is the name given to a change in the flow of water currents in the Pacific Ocean near the equator. El Niño—Spanish for "the child" because it often occurs around Christmas—repeats every three to five years. Although El Niño takes place in a small portion of the Pacific, it can affect the weather in large parts of Asia, Africa, Indonesia, and North and South America. Scientists have only recently become aware of the far-reaching effects of this phenomenon.
What is El Niño?
The rotation of Earth and the exchange of heat between the atmosphere and the oceans create wind and ocean currents. At the...
[The entire page is 1233 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
