Q&A: Tracking the history of El Niño
Thursday, December 20, 2018 - 07:20
in Earth & Climate
In December 2018, forecasters announced a high likelihood that this winter will bring El Niño, which occurs when unusually warm Pacific waters create changes in weather patterns around the world. The phenomenon causes predictable fluctuations in temperature, winds and rainfall, and can be an important indicator for crop yields. But what do we really know about El Niño beyond contemporary times? How much of its variability is natural vs. influenced by humans?