El Nino and La Nina Notes

Open Ended

Why is it important to understand how changing ocean currents, such as El Niño and La Niña, can affect the weather and the environment?

Multiple Choice

What is the ENSO cycle?

• A cycle describing temperature fluctuations between the ocean and atmosphere in the Pacific Ocean

• A cycle of ocean currents in the Atlantic Ocean

• A weather pattern that only affects Europe

• A cycle that only involves changes in wind speed

Multiple Choice

Which of the following statements about El Niño and La Niña is correct?

• El Niño usually lasts nine to twelve months.

• La Niña usually lasts from a year to two years.

• The longest El Niño ever recorded lasted six years.

• The longest La Niña ever recorded lasted six years.

Multiple Choice

What causes the upwelling of cold, nutrient-rich water off the west coast of South America during normal conditions?

• Weaker trade winds

• Stronger trade winds

• Warmer surface water flows eastward

• Increased evaporation

Open Ended

Compare the normal oceanic and atmospheric patterns with those during an El Niño event. What are the key differences?

Fill in the Blanks

El Niño is characterized by warmer than average waters in the

equatorial Pacific.

Open Ended

What is El Niño and how does it affect global weather patterns?

Multiple Select

Which of the following are effects of El Niño on North America during winter?

• Warmer-than-average temperatures in western and central Canada

• Colder-than-average temperatures in the Gulf Coast

• Wetter-than-average conditions in the Ohio Valley

• Drier-than-average conditions in the Pacific Northwest

Multiple Choice

Which of the following are common effects of El Niño events?

• Wet winters in the southeastern United States

• Drought in Indonesia and Australia

• Floods in typically dry areas of South America

• All of the above

Open Ended

What are the effects of El Niño?

Fill in the Blanks

Australia is often plagued by

during strong El Niño events.

Multiple Choice

Based on the images and descriptions, what are two major impacts of El Niño on different regions?

• Flooding in South America and drought in Australia

• Heavy snowfall in Antarctica and heatwaves in Europe

• Hurricanes in the Atlantic and tornadoes in Africa

• Earthquakes in Japan and volcanic eruptions in Hawaii

Open Ended

What is La Niña?

Multiple Choice

Which of the following statements about La Niña Pacific Ocean conditions is correct?

• Trade winds decrease and surface water becomes warmer near South America.

• Colder, nutrient-rich water upwells at an increased rate near South America.

• There is less evaporation and precipitation in the western Pacific.

• La Niña causes cooler than average temperatures in the western Pacific ocean.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT an effect of La Niña in the United States?

• Increased precipitation in Washington and Oregon

• Drier conditions in California, Nevada, and Colorado

• Warmer winters in the Midwest

• Very wet conditions in the Southeast

Open Ended

What are the effects of La Niña?

Multiple Choice

La Niña brings warmer-than-normal sea-surface temperatures to the southern Pacific Ocean around which regions?

• Northern Australia, New Guinea, and Indonesia

• Western South America and California

• Eastern Africa and India

• Southern Europe and North Africa

Fill in the Blanks

La Niña events often bring wetter-than-normal weather to

, northern Australia, and Malaysia.

Multiple Select

Which methods are used to predict El Niño and La Niña events?

• Satellite readings from buoys

• Complex computer models

• Weather balloons

• Direct observation from land

Open Ended

Compare the main differences between El Niño and La Niña in terms of their effects on weather patterns.

Multiple Choice

In the ENSO cycle, which phase is associated with warmer ocean temperatures?

• El Niño

• La Niña

• Both El Niño and La Niña

• Neither El Niño nor La Niña

Open Ended

What is the ENSO cycle and how does it affect the climate?