(originally posted on OpenSnow on August 20, 2018)
What and where is El Niño?
The water temperature in the central Pacific Ocean flips back and forth between warmer than average and cooler than average.
La Niña means that water temperatures are cooler than average.
El Niño means that water temperatures are warmer than average.
El Niño was originally recognized by fishermen off the coast of South America in the 1600s, with the appearance of unusually warm water in the Pacific Ocean.
The name El Niño, or ‘Christ child’, was chosen because these warm-water events happened to around the Christmas holiday.
Find out how El Niño may impact the 2018-2019 winter season.