Causes and Effects of the El Niño & La

Niña Weather Occurrences

By: Isaiah Hernandez
What environment systems
interact in this issue?
The Atmospheric
System
The Biospheric
System
The Hydrospheric
System
The Lithospheric
System
How do they interact?
 During an El Niño weather event, normal east to west trade winds weaken
severely and the normal temperature of surface water rises which leads to
warm water to travel more west rather than east.

As a result, the warm surface water accumulates west of the Pacific while huge
amounts of moisture builds up that leads to massive rainfall and tropical
storms.
The La Niña weather event is considered to be the opposite of the El Niño
because instead of warm surface water gathering west, it travels back east
of the Pacific due to stronger east to west trade winds.

As a result of stronger winds, the upwelling of deep cold water

increases and spreads throughout the Pacific which causes the reverse
effects of an El Niño where the eastern part becomes drier and the
western part becomes wetter than usual.
Why is this issue important in the context
of environmental sustainability?
These weather occurrences typically bring huge amounts of rainfall and
tropical storms that can have a massive impact on marine life and
communities in land that leads to severe damage from floods and
pollution to local water sources.
 They also cause some parts of the world to become
extremely drier than usual which ultimately leads to
huge droughts, shortage of food supplies, and massive
wildfires.
 These weather conditions cause a variety of weather
phenomenons and can have a severe impact on the lives of
both humans and animals that inhabit the earth.
What is my position on this
issue?
I believe scientists and environmentalists
should spread more awareness on these
concerning abnormalities.
Scientists should expand their research and
studying of these unusual weather patterns so
we can possibly prevent or reduce these
events.
Scientists should also upgrade and
advance their equipment and technology
so they can accurately predict when these
weather patterns will precisely occur.
What steps are currently being taken
to address this challenge?
There are protests around the world that are against
climate change and pollution solely because they’re one
of the reasons why these unusual weather events occur
and these individuals advocate for system change that
enforce regulations that are better for the environment.
Many parts of the world are now making the switch over to
renewable energy resources to decrease pollution and their
ecological footprint.
What can we do as individuals
to help the situation?
Drive less frequently!
Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle!!
Use naturally grown fertilizers such as compost.
What is my prognosis?
 As annual temperatures continue to increase
and the world becomes hotter, these weather
events will only strengthen and become worse
over time.
I believe by switching over to cleaner resources immediately
and reducing the amount of greenhouse gases emitted, we
have hope for the future of the earth.
Only by collaborating and working together will we
save and sustain the fate of our world.
 Citations
NASA Earth Observatory. (n.d.). World of Change: El Niño, La Niña, and
Rainfall. Accessed on May 4th, 2023 from
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/world-of-change/ENSO#:~:text=El%20Ni%C3
%B1o%20occurs%20when%20warm,rise%20and%20develop%20into%20rainst
orms.

Borunda, A. (2023, May 1). El Niño 101. Environment.Accessed on May 4th

2023 from
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/el-nino-la-nina
 Citations
El Niño and La Niña: What’s the Difference? (n.d.). The National Environmental
Education Foundation (NEEF). Accessed on May 4th, 2023 from
https://www.neefusa.org/story/climate-change/el-nino-and-la-nina-whats-differen
ce

What are El Nino and La Nina? (n.d.). Accessed on May 4th, 2023 from
https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/ninonina.htm