El Nino Takes Reign

Hadley Harris, staff writer

The ocean is mad, and it is stirring up chaos in the Pacific. Rising temperatures and changing wind patterns in the Pacific Ocean are forming groups of hurricanes curating what we know as, El Nino. El Nino is gearing up to have severe effects on the upcoming seasons. In normal seasons, the wind pushes warm water from east to west in the Pacific. The winds' relocation of warm water leads to cooler water in the eastern Pacific, regulating atmospheric circulation according to Imperial, a news source. Every few years there is a change in these wind patterns as they ease and halt the process of transporting warm water to the west. This change in wind pattern can affect sea levels, conditions and weather patterns in the form of storms. The buildup of these storms' dates to the 1600s as Purvian Fisherman were taking note of changing currents and their effects as mentioned by The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA.)  

The temperature in the Pacific Ocean will cause more evaporation to occur, leading to more rainfall. On top of that, changes in wind patterns along with warm waters are bound to cause further issues for the mainland including droughts, storms and flash floods. This up in the coming fall and winter season in the Northern Hemisphere can expect to see rounds of storms leading to cool, wet conditions for most of the hemisphere based on reports from The Weather Channel. El Nino also sparks caution because it generally causes sea levels to rise by 2 feet from excessive precipitation. As a result, intense waves will occur along the shore and the coastline can disappear for several weeks. 

A resident from California, Becky Brennen was asked about the effects she is seeing in real time taking place due to the rising sea levels and storms. "We have been experiencing bigger storms surges and waves along the coast that causes the sand to disappear for weeks straight. The storms can further increase erosion in the area (Carmel Valley). Many communities that were built near rivers and roads along cliffs did not take these extreme systems into consideration, making them the most affected thus far."  

Redondo Beach local, Jason Rumminger gave insight into the conditions in California as El Nino takes shape in the west. “There is less marine layer because the water is about five degrees warmer than usual around this time of year. The water temperature has affected local fishing as the fish are migrating further north. It has been predicted to be a much rainier winter, and as a result more people are having to take precautions and prep their houses for the increase in storms and rain.”  

Other areas of the Northern Hemisphere can see a shift in last year's winter weather due to the precipitation. States in the Midwest including Colorado, Utah and New Mexico are in route to have a snowy winter, because of greater levels of rain precipitation. Eastern states, Georgia, Florida and South Carolina will also be met with wet and cool conditions, while the northeast, New York, Pennsylvania are going to be delivered warmer conditions than usual due to the changing weather patterns. They are considered to be in a dry patch. El Nino is not intensifying through an independent aspect; the change in wind patterns and sea temperatures is traced to how much climate change affects the ozone layer, which increases water temperature. The term “supercharged” was used by Aljazeera, a news source that is studying climate change and how it fuels Super El Nino. This year's Super El Nino is also set to hold a record in terms of how warm the waters have become. With more warm waters, there will be greater evaporation leading to lasting rainstorms and patches of droughts that can lead into the year 2027.