Prelims Perspective: What needs to be learned?

• El Nino
• Cause and Impact
• La Nina

Mains Perspective: Notes need to be prepared

• Climatology(GS I – Geography)

What needs to be known?

• El Nino
  • What is it?: El Niño (meaning “the little boy” in Spanish) is a climate pattern that describes the unusual warming of surface waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean, which occurs irregularly in 2 – 7 years
  • Formation
    • Trade winds weaken or reverse, reducing westward push of warm water.
    • Warm water shifts eastward toward the Americas.
    • Upwelling of cold, nutrient-rich water off South America weakens.
    • Walker circulation collapses/weakens, altering global weather patterns.
  • Impact
    • South Asia (India): Often leads to weak monsoons and increased risk of drought.
    • South America: Heavy rainfall and flooding in Peru and Ecuador; droughts in Brazil.
    • North America: Warmer, drier winters in the North; wetter, cooler conditions in the South.
    • Australia/SE Asia: Severe droughts and increased risk of bushfires.

Source: Down To Earth