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2. Major wind systems - more
El Nino / La Nina

Worksheet 2:
El Niño, la Niña and their effects all over the world

 

You have read about El Niño and La Niña in the weather section: basics - Circulation Systems - El Nino
http://www.atmosphere.mpg.de/enid/190.html
and in more - Major wind systems - El Nino & SOI
http://www.atmosphere.mpg.de/enid/192.html.
You also should have had a look at the Worksheets 3, 4 & 5 in weather - basics - Circulation Systems on El Nino.

Now let's have a look at La Niña:

El Niño is world famous, not so the other extreme of the oscillation:

La Niña who brings colder sea surface temperatures.

And the third phase of ENSO is neither La Niña nor El Niño, just normal average.

Do you remember the facts (years 1950 to 1997)?

 

 

Can you answer the following questions?

1) How often did El Niño happen?
a) In 10 % of all years.
b) In 22 % of all years.
c) In 31% of all years.
d) In 64 % of all years.

 

2) And how often is La Niña?
a) In 5 % of all years.
b) In 23 % of all years.
c) In 34 % of all years.
d) In 59 % of all years.

3) How big is the interval between El Niño events?
a) 6-9 years.
b) 3-5 years.
c) 1-2 years.
d) 12-15 years.

 

4) And between La Niña events?
a) 15-16 years.
b) 1-3 years.
c) 6-13 years.
d) 2-7 years.

5) And why is La Niña less known?
a) Because its influence on fisheries is more benign that destructive. Cold water means lots of plancton for fish.
b) Because its influence on fisheries is more destructive that benign.
c) Because El Niño appeared later in the world press.
d) Because La Niña is more destructive to nature.

 

Quiz results:

Questions you got right:

Questions you got wrong:

Grade in %:

Attention: This quiz is optimised for internet explorer or new versions of Netscape!
If the little solution window disappears, just reopen it from the task row!

 

The Southern Oscillation Index

For this exercise you should have read the text about El Nino & SOI.

Exercise:
Here you can find the latest data Source:
 http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/soihtm1.shtml
Print out the data of the missing years.

Now you should download the worksheet and draw the new data into the graphic.

NAO-Index

1. The Southern Oscillation Index, data by BOM, author: Bildungszentrum Marktdorf, Project group ENSO  (Source: http://www.enso.info/lexikon.html#ninodef)
The red parts in the graphic represent El Nino phases, the blue ones are La Nina Phases.

 

Deviation of the average amount of rainfall (1961-1990) in mm in winter (December, January, February) 1997/98

 
deviation of the average amount of rainfall

2. Deviation of the average amount of rainfall
author: Bildungszentrum Marktdorf, Project group ENSO  
image source: http://www.enso.info/globaus.html 

 

Exercise:

Name the continents/countries and describe two they are affected over the year.

What are the consequences in those regions?


 
About this page:
- Author: Dr. Schrettenbrunner - University of Nürnberg - Germany
- scientific reviewing:
- educational reviewing: Dr. Yvonne Schleicher, Julia Heres
- last update: 08.09.03

 
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