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El Niño and La Niña Facts & Worksheets

El Niño and La Niña are two distinct phases of a climate pattern known as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). ENSO is a natural climate phenomenon originating in the tropical Pacific Ocean.

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El Niño and La Niña are two distinct phases of a climate pattern known as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). ENSO is a natural climate phenomenon originating in the tropical Pacific Ocean but has far-reaching effects on weather and climate patterns worldwide. 

See the fact file below for more information on El Niño and La Niña, or you can download our 25-page El Niño and La Niña worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

EL NIÑO – DEFINITION AND CAUSES

  • El Niño is a climate phenomenon defined by the recurrent warming of the equatorial Pacific Ocean’s central and eastern sea surface temperatures. It affects the patterns of the world’s weather and happens sporadically every two to seven years.
  • El Niño occurs from weakened trade winds that usually blow east to west over the Pacific Ocean. During a non-El Niño phase, these trade winds assist in pushing warm surface waters toward the western Pacific, enabling cold waters from the deep to rise along South America’s eastern coast in a process known as upwelling.
  • During an El Niño event, however, the trade winds diminish, causing the upwelling process to stall or reverse, resulting in higher-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific.
  • Another significant cause of El Niño is the effect of Kelvin waves, which are large-scale oceanic waves that move warm water from the western to the eastern Pacific. During select periods, these waves can grow stronger and more frequent, building up warm water in the Eastern Pacific and exacerbating El Niño conditions.
  • Furthermore, ocean currents such as the Pacific Equatorial Undercurrent have a role in moving warm water eastward, boosting the development of El Niño occurrences.
  • While these oceanic processes are the fundamental causes of El Niño, external influences like solar irradiance and other natural climatic variability can also influence the frequency and severity of El Niño events. 
  • The precise interaction of these elements, as well as their proportional contributions to the beginning and length of El Niño occurrences, are currently being studied.

EL NIÑO – EFFECTS

  • The effects of El Niño are extensive and far-reaching, dramatically altering weather patterns and climatic conditions worldwide. One of the most noticeable consequences is the change in precipitation patterns. 
  • Some locations enjoy tremendous rainfall and flooding during El Niño episodes, while others suffer from severe droughts and low rainfall. These events have potentially disastrous repercussions for agriculture, water supplies, and ecosystems in affected areas. 
  • Warming ocean temperatures during El Niño can induce coral bleaching and alter the distribution of marine species, threatening fisheries and coastal populations’ livelihoods. 
  • Furthermore, El Niño can affect agricultural output both favorably and adversely, with some places benefiting from good growing conditions due to higher rainfall. Conversely, others endure crop failures and lower yields due to dryness and heatwaves. The increased risk of wildfires amid dry and hot circumstances complicates matters further for impacted areas.

KNOWN EL NIÑO EVENTS

The 1982-1983 El Niño

  •  Often known as “the event of the century,” it was one of the most powerful on record. It caused extensive extreme weather conditions, including torrential rains, floods, and landslides throughout South America’s western coast. In addition, severe droughts hit Australia and Indonesia, while portions of Africa saw below-average rainfall. 

The 2015-2016 El Niño

  • The 2015-2016 El Niño event was characterized by record-breaking sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific. It caused extensive coral bleaching, which had a global impact on marine ecosystems. Furthermore, it exacerbated drought conditions in Africa and India, impacting agricultural productivity and food security.

LA NIÑA- DEFINITION AND CAUSES

  • La Niña is a climatic phenomenon corresponding to the inverse phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle. The recurrent decrease of sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean characterizes it. 
  • La Niña episodes, like El Niño, occur every two to seven years and can linger for many months. During La Niña, the trade winds in the Pacific Ocean accelerate, increasing the normal upwelling process along South America’s eastern coast. 
  • As a result, sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific are lower than usual, resulting in a unique set of weather patterns and climatic implications compared to El Niño.
  • La Niña occurs from a complex interplay of ocean-atmosphere processes in the equatorial Pacific. The fundamental cause of La Niña is the intensification of trade winds, which blow from east to west over the Pacific Ocean. 
  • During non-La Niña circumstances, these trade winds maintain their regular intensity, forcing warm surface waters towards the western Pacific and enabling colder waters from the deep to rise along the eastern coast of South America via upwelling. 
  • However, during La Niña, the trade winds get more intense, accelerating the upwelling process even more.

LA NIÑA – EFFECTS

  • Some of the most significant implications of La Niña are changing precipitation patterns in many parts of the planet. This phenomenon frequently causes increased rainfall in the western Pacific, causing severe floods in nations such as Indonesia and the Philippines. In contrast, sections of South America, notably along the western coast, have experienced drier and warmer weather, resulting in droughts and an increased danger of wildfires.
  • La Niña occurrences can have an impact on tropical storm activity. La Niña tends to accelerate hurricane development in the Atlantic basin, increasing the quantity and severity of hurricanes.
  • Furthermore, La Niña can have a substantial influence on worldwide weather patterns. It affects the flow of the jet streams, causing storm tracks to vary and extreme weather events to occur in various places. 
  • La Niña can also impact the North American climate, causing cooler and wetter circumstances in the north and drier ones in the south.

LA NIÑA – EFFECTS

1916-1918 La Niña

  • The early 20th century saw one of the worst La Niña events between 1916 and 1918.
  • Extreme weather conditions resulted from this incident, which also caused flooding and severe rain in areas of the Americas and Australia, as well as droughts in India, Australia, and Africa.

1950s-1960s La Niña

Midway through the 20th century, from the late 1950s to the early 1960s, another big La Niña event occurred. Through this episode, North America and Europe saw a string of abnormally cold winters.

This La Niña event impacted the harsh winter of 1962-1963 in the United Kingdom, sometimes known as the “Big Freeze,” which resulted in significant disruption due to heavy snowfall and unusually low temperatures.

20th and early 21st La Niña

  • The La Niña events that took place in the late 20th and early 21st centuries were considered more recent. The terrible drought in the United States, notably in the central and western regions, was exacerbated by the La Niña of 1988-1989.
  • Another La Niña occurrence in 2010-2011 was associated with significant flooding in Australia, particularly the disastrous Queensland floods.

El Niño and La Niña Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about El Niño and La Niña across 25 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about El Niño and La Niña, El Niño and La Niña are two distinct phases of a climate pattern known as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). ENSO is a natural climate phenomenon originating in the tropical Pacific Ocean.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. El Niño and La Niña Facts
  2. Comparing El Niño and La Niña
  3. El Niño Formation
  4. Make Your El Niño
  5. 1997-1998 Experience
  6. Preparing for El Niño
  7. Formation of La Niña
  8. Impact of La Niña
  9. Preparing for La Niña
  10. A Farmer’s Perspective
  11. Marine Life Effects

Frequently Asked Questions

What is El Niño and La Niña?

  • El Niño: El Niño is a climate phenomenon characterized by the periodic warming of sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. It can disrupt normal weather patterns around the world, leading to various climate-related impacts such as droughts, heavy rainfall, and extreme weather events.
  • La Niña: La Niña is the opposite of El Niño, characterized by the periodic cooling of sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. It can also have significant global impacts on weather patterns, often resulting in increased rainfall in some regions and more active hurricane seasons.

What causes El Niño and La Niña events?

  • El Niño and La Niña events are primarily caused by variations in ocean currents and temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. These variations are part of the larger climate phenomenon known as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). El Niño occurs when warm water from the western Pacific moves eastward, while La Niña occurs when cooler waters dominate in the eastern Pacific.

How do El Niño and La Niña affect global weather patterns?

  • During El Niño events, the warmer ocean temperatures can lead to changes in atmospheric circulation patterns, influencing weather around the world. This can result in droughts, heatwaves, and wildfires in some regions, while causing heavy rainfall, floods, and storms in others.
  • La Niña events tend to have the opposite effect, with cooler ocean temperatures influencing atmospheric circulation in a way that can lead to increased rainfall, colder winters in some areas, and more active hurricane seasons in certain ocean basins.

What are some of the impacts of El Niño and La Niña on agriculture and ecosystems?

  • El Niño: El Niño can bring prolonged periods of drought to some regions, which can damage crops, reduce agricultural yields, and lead to food shortages. Conversely, it can result in excessive rainfall and flooding in other areas, which can also harm agriculture and ecosystems.
  • La Niña: La Niña tends to enhance precipitation in certain regions, which can be beneficial for agriculture but may also lead to flooding and landslides. It can also affect marine ecosystems by influencing sea surface temperatures and marine life distribution.

Can we predict El Niño and La Niña events?

  • Yes, scientists use various tools and models to predict the onset of El Niño and La Niña events. One commonly used indicator is the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), which measures atmospheric pressure differences between the eastern and western Pacific. Additionally, sea surface temperature anomalies and computer models help in forecasting these events several months in advance, allowing for preparedness and mitigation efforts.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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