Transcript Ocean Currents

El Nino/La Nina
Reflective Questions
How do our oceans impact climate?
How do the Sun’s energy and
ocean currents cause an El Nino/La
Nina to form?
El Nino
Abnormally high surface ocean
temperatures off the coast of South
America
Causes unusual weather patterns across
the globe
El Nino
 Starts because the easterly trade winds
weaken and allow the warm waters in the
Western Pacific to move east toward South
America
 This changes where the convection current
occurs.
El Nino
 Causes rain where it usually doesn't
occur and drought where it usually rains
 Possible for the trade winds to
completely change direction
El Nino Winter
El Nino Summer
La Nina
Abnormally low surface ocean temperatures
off the coast of South America
Causes unusual weather patterns across
the globe
Ocean’s Effect on Climate
 Ocean currents move more slowly than winds.
 Oceans hold more heat than the atmosphere and
land.
 Cold currents will cause nearby coastlines to be
cooler.
 Warm currents will cause nearby coastlines to be
warmer.
Where do the cold currents come from? The
warm currents?
Predictable Patterns
How do these currents affect the climate of
the coastline?
Reflection Questions
How do our oceans impact climate?
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTig9gKegQk Ocean temperatures over 22 years from NOAA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPBRDCnTB5Y What is El Nino?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbNzw1CCKHo Visualizing El Nino from NASA