The U.S. weather agencies have predicted a 60% possibility of El Nino occurring in the forthcoming summer season. A consequential event, this could adversely impact India’s monsoon cycle, bringing about significant climatic changes. Through this article, we provide an in-depth understanding of El Nino and its effects on global weather patterns, particularly focusing on its impacts in India.
Understanding El Nino and Its Opposite, La Niña
El Nino is a meteorological phenomenon known for the unusual warming of the central and east-central equatorial Pacific Ocean, significantly influencing global weather. The Pacific Ocean’s warmer waters cause wind patterns to reverse in diverse regions. The prime example includes trade winds that typically progress towards India. This wind direction change results in warmer winters and summers while reducing monsoon rainfall. In most cases, El Nino culminates into droughts.
Contrastingly, La Niña – Spanish for ‘The Little Girl’ – is the opposite climatological event. During La Niña, the tropical eastern Pacific’s waters are colder than average, with trade winds blowing with increased vigor. Both El Nino and La Niña form parts of a larger ocean-atmosphere oscillation system labeled as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation or ENSO cycle.
Global Impact of El Nino
El Nino substantially influences worldwide weather, promoting the formation of eastern Pacific hurricanes and tropical storms. It links to irregular rainfall patterns recorded in countries like Peru, Chile, and Ecuador. By reducing the upwelling of cold water, El Nino restricts the rise of nutrients from the ocean’s depths, thereby impacting marine life, seabirds, and the fishing industry.
| Country/Region | Impact of El Nino |
|---|---|
| Southern Africa, India, Southeast Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands | Drought |
| Central and South America | Rise in vector-borne diseases |
| Peru, Chile, Ecuador | Unusual rainfall |
El Nino’s Influence on Disease and Agriculture
Drought caused by El Nino can be widespread, affecting southern Africa, India, Southeast Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands. Countries whose economies rely heavily on agriculture are particularly affected during this period. Furthermore, a World Health Organization (WHO) report on the health consequences of El Nino predicts an increase in vector-borne diseases, including those transmitted by mosquitoes, in Central and South America. The cycles of malaria in India are also linked to El Nino. In essence, El Nino has usually been a precursor to drought over India, while La Nina is associated with increased rainfall.