What is the history of El Nino?
El Niño was originally recognized by fisherman off the coast of South America as the appearance of unusually warm water in the Pacific Ocean, occurring near the beginning of the year. El Niño means The Little Boy or Christ child in Spanish.
Where was the El Niño phenomenon first recognized?
El Niño was recognized by fishers off the coast of Peru as the appearance of unusually warm water. We have no real record of what indigenous Peruvians called the phenomenon, but Spanish immigrants called it El Niño, meaning “the little boy” in Spanish.
Did an El Nino event occur during the winter of 2015 2016?
“While temperature and precipitation impacts associated with El Niño are favored, El Niño is not the only player. Cold-air outbreaks and snow storms will likely occur at times this winter.
Who coined the term El Nino?
El Niño and La Niña are also referred to together as the “Southern Oscillation,” which was a term coined by Sir Gilbert Walker when he studied sea level pressures and how they oscillates between high and low in the tropical Pacific Ocean.
When was El Nino caused serious drought?
However El Niño conditions extreme enough to cause drought, such as that experienced in 1997, have probably occurred about once every 100 years for at least the last 6000 years (Haberle 2000), while less severe events have occurred on average around every thirteen years.
How does El Nino affect food security?
El-Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the most recurrent change in climate impacting agriculture productivity and food security. The results of this study reveal that during El Nino (La Nina) maize, sorghum and wheat production decreases (increases) while that of millet increases (decreases).
Which part of PNG is more exposed to drought?
south-eastern part of country Very short to short dry spells (days without daily rainfall reaching 1 mm) were felt in the most areas of the country. Localized very long drought, or more than 21 consecutive dry days, was recorded in southeast areas, as shown in the map.
How does climate change affect Papua New Guinea?
Increasing temperatures, coupled with diminishing fresh water sources and persistent droughts, hamper agricultural processes at the cornerstone of the Papua New Guinean economy and the population’s livelihood. By 2030, the country’s temperature will increase by up to 1.1° Celsius (33.98° Fahrenheit) per year.
How does Enso affect Papua New Guinea?
Although Papua New Guinea is the worst affected, countries across the Pacific are feeling the effects of the El Niño. As many as 4.7 million people face hunger, poverty and disease due to El Niño related droughts, erratic rains and frosts.