El Nino, Tornadoes, Hurricanes

During an El Nino event, the South Equatorial Current reverses direction and flows over the top of northern portions of the Peru Current, causing

• warmer surface ocean waters along the northeast coast of South America

• warmer surface ocean waters along the northwest coast of South America

• cooler surface ocean waters along the northeast coast of South America

• cooler surface ocean waters along the northwest coast of South America

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Which statement best describes the planetary wind belts that produce the winds represented in the cross section above?

(Hint: Look at how the air is moving around the EQUATOR on ESRT pg 14. The Section of the Pacific ocean where an El nino takes place is along the equator between South America and Australia. Indonesia is near Australia)

• Southwest and northwest winds diverge at the equator and blow toward the west.

• Southwest and northwest winds diverge at the equator and blow toward the east.

• Northeast and southeast winds converge at the equator and blow toward the west.

• Northeast and southeast winds converge at the equator and blow toward the east.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Compared to non-El Niño years, which climatic conditions exist near the equator on the western and eastern sides of the Pacific Ocean during an El Niño event?

• The western Pacific is drier and the eastern Pacific is wetter.

• The western Pacific is wetter and the eastern Pacific is drier.

• The western and the eastern Pacific are both wetter.

• The western and the eastern Pacific are both drier.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Which cross section best represents the changed wind conditions and Pacific Ocean temperatures during an El Niño event? [Diagrams are not drawn to scale.]

• A

• B

• C

• D

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

During an El Niño year, winter climatic conditions in New York State will most likely be

• colder and wetter

• colder and drier

• warmer and wetter

• warmer and drier

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

The development of El Niño conditions over this region of the Pacific Ocean has caused:

• changes in worldwide precipitation patterns

• the reversal of Earth's seasons

• increased worldwide volcanic activity

• decreased ozone levels in the atmosphere

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Boarding up windows and evacuating to higher elevations would be an emergency action most likely taken to prepare for which natural disaster?

• earthquake

• hurricane

• flood

• tsunami

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-2

Base your answer to the following question on the map below and on your knowledge of Earth science. The map shows a composite of Doppler radar images. Darker shadings indicate the precipitation pattern of a large storm system over the eastern United States. As this storm system follows a normal storm track, it will most likely move toward the:

• southeast

• southwest

• northeast

• northwest

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

The map below shows the weak trade winds and strong equatorial countercurrent in the Pacific Ocean during El Niño conditions. This causes warm surface ocean water to migrate eastward, lowering the atmospheric pressure above this warm water. What are the most likely changes to atmospheric temperature and precipitation along the west coast of South America during El Niño conditions?

• lower temperatures and lower amounts of precipitation

• lower temperatures and higher amounts of precipitation

• higher temperatures and lower amounts of precipitation

• higher temperatures and higher amounts of precipitation

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

The map shows four coastal locations labeled A, B, C, and D. The climate of which location is warmed by a nearby major ocean current?

(Hint: Use ESRT pg 4 to see where a WARM ocean current would be located on this map)

• A

• B

• C

• D

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6