El Niño – La Niña: A Highscool or University Exam?

El Niño – La Niña are filling our feedback and questions mail inbox for now already 3 weeks.

We always get the same 3 questions. Some students are so intelligent to formulate the questions in a courteous way while others simply copy and paste the questions. There must be either a nation wide homework out there. Maybe there is also an exam waiting for High-school or University students.

Having been a student myself many, many years ago, I would like to offer a little help to my unknown friends. There are two condition:

1. Do not copy/paste the answers published below. Understand them and write the answers in your own words.
2. Click on like or share at the end of this article 😆

El Niño – La Niña: The questions

1. How far is the temperature of the absolute water temperature map from the anomalies in the water temperature map?
2. What climate event is shown? El Niño or La Niña? Explain your answer.
3. Why El Niño and La Niña are considered a hazard? What direct and possible threats do they have to humans and properties?

El Niño – La Niña: The answers

1. How far is the temperature of the absolute water temperature map from the anomalies in the water temperature map?
   This question is difficult to answer not seeing the original maps. But the most common maps of the ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation) are published by NOAA.  If your maps are the same as below, the answer would be:
   

   Absolute surface water temperature	Anomalies of surface water temperature

   My answer would be: This depends on the region. The anomalies oscillate between +3 and -3 degrees. The surface temperatures reach from 18 to 30 degrees. On November 2, the absolute surface water temperature in the Philippines’ waters, was around 29°C. The anomalies showed 0°C. The difference had been 29 °C.
   At the same date the surface water temperature off the coast of Peru had been 21°C. The anomalies were + 0.8°C. The difference had been 20.2°C

2. What climate event is shown? El Niño or La Niña? Explain your answer.
   Sorry I do not have the picture. Please read answer #3 and compare with the picture you have. I am sure you’ll guess right.
3. Why El Niño and La Niña are considered a hazard? What direct and possible threats do they have to humans and properties?
   My answer would be: They are considered a hazard because prediction is very difficult. Neither when they will occur nor how strong they’ll be can be predicted with good accuracy. While the occurrence can be monitored and warnings can be published, the amplitude or strength are still a mystery.
   The main impacts are drought and flood. While central America is inundated, the West-Pacific countries (e.g. Philippines) suffer of drought. This is El Niño. When the Philippines encounter heavy floods and landslides, the Americas loose their crops because water is lacking – this is La Niña.

More information is here: https://www.silent-gardens.com/elnino-lanina.php

When I had been a student…

We loved this song. It did lead my way over many, many years. Here you are…

Good luck my young friends. And now, please click LIKE or SHARE 😆