Print this page. Using this illustration follow the steps to see what happens during an ENSO year…
1.
Now, imagine you are in the same place in the Pacific Ocean during an El Nino year. This time the tradewinds have weakened or stopped. | Put an "X" on the tradewinds. |
2
. Because the tradewinds are weak, the ocean currents are not being pushed to the west. | Color the ocean currents  |
3.
Because the tradewinds are weak, the water at the surface warms up. | Circle the thermometer. |
4.
The sea begins to flatten out dropping in the west and rising in the east. The water that was "piling" up in the west sloshes back to the east. | Color the sea surface  |
5. The more the water warms the more it causes the tradewinds to weaken.
6.
The air above the ocean becomes more warm and moist. This causes heavy rain. The change in ocean temperature causes the rain and storms to move to the east. | Color the storms  |
The thermocline is also an important part of El Nino. To learn more about El Nino, you may want to visit your local library or the NOAA website.
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