El Niño is a climate pattern that describes the unusual warming of surface waters in the eastern

equatorial Pacific Ocean. Trade winds and atmosphere are also impacted by El Niño.

weaker than usual easterly trade winds.

reduced cloudiness and rainfall over Indonesia and a corresponding increase in the average surface
pressure.

increased cloudiness and rainfall in central or eastern part of the basin and a corresponding drop in the
average surface pressure.

There are several means used for El Niño detection; satellites, moored ATLAS and PROTEUS buoys,
drifting buoys, sea level analysis, and XBT's.

• Satellites - satellites like Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich can detect Kelvin waves with a radar altimeter,
which uses microwave signals to measure the height of the ocean's surface. When an altimeter passes
over areas that are warmer than others, the data will show higher sea levels.

• Atlas and Proteus buoys - These buoys transmit data daily to researchers and forecasters around the
world. Using data from the buoys, along with visual imagery they receive from satellite imagery,
scientists are able to more accurately predict El Niño and visualize its development and impact around
the globe.

• Drifting buoys - Drifting buoys are free drifting platforms with a float or buoy that keep the drifter at
the surface and underwater sails or socks that catch the current. These instruments sit at the surface of
the ocean and are transported via near-surface ocean currents.They are notably useful for tracking the
way El Niño and La Niña, two climate events occurring in the Pacific Ocean, influence global ocean
currents, or how a warmer climate affects the path of major ocean currents.

• Sea level analysis - For El Niño, scientists look for unusually warm waters in the Pacific Ocean near the
equator, particularly in the area close to South America. The signature atmospheric pattern that
indicates the arrival of El Niño is the weakening of normal easterly trade winds in the Pacific. In addition,
the thermal expansion of the warming water in the eastern part of the basin measurably raises sea level
in these regions, and this change in sea level can be measured by satellite sensors. Therefore, variations
in sea level are good indicators of the presence of an El Niño.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) has placed eight provinces and two cities in Mindanao in the list of
areas vulnerable to the El Niño or dry spell.

The DA classified the provinces of Misamis Oriental, Sarangani and South Cotabato and Zamboanga City
as “highly vulnerable” to El Niño.

“Moderately vulnerable” to the dry spell are the provinces of Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur,
Zamboanga Sibugay, Bukidnon and Davao Oriental and Davao City.

El Niño is a climate phenomenon that occurs irregularly in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific
Ocean. It is characterized by warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures and changes in atmospheric
circulation patterns. El Niño events typically develop every 2 to 7 years and can last for several months.

Predicting the exact timing of an El Niño event is challenging, as it depends on various atmospheric and
oceanic conditions. Climate scientists use computer models and observations to make predictions, but
these predictions are subject to uncertainties.

If you are looking for the most up-to-date information on El Niño forecasts, I recommend checking with
reputable meteorological and climate organizations, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) in the United States, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, or the World
Meteorological Organization. These organizations regularly provide updates and forecasts on climate
phenomena like El Niño.

El Niño is part of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon, and its counterpart, which
represents cooler-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific, is
called La Niña. These two phenomena are often referred to as opposite phases of the ENSO.

Additionally, El Niño is sometimes colloquially referred to as "The Christ Child" because it tends to peak
around Christmas time, and the name El Niño means "The Little Boy" in Spanish. On the other hand, La
Niña, meaning "The Little Girl," represents the cooler phase of the ENSO.