Monday, September 18, 2006

El Nino? Ay caramba!

Last week, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced that a new El Nino event is building. The announcement was based on an increase in sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of South America...hallmark of a rising El Nino.

El Nino is part of a weather pattern called the Southern Oscillation, a see-saw of temperatures and air pressure between the eastern and western Pacific that can change the normal movement of moisture and wind across the ocean. El Nino (Spanish for "Christ child," a reference to the fact that it always arises late in the year) has a little sister called La Nina, which is characterized by lower-than-normal temperatures near South America.

Why is this a big deal? Because El Ninos can disrupt weather globally. El Ninos can make things wetter in North America, drier in South America and Australia, and can put a damper on hurricane formation in the Caribbean - like what might be happening this year.

The length of time El Ninos last can vary. This one is predicted to hold on until early next year. But then again, no one thought an El Nino was going to occur this year until the last few weeks.

[Check the NOAA website for more information on this El Nino event. To learn more about El Ninos in general, check out NOVA.]

Summer vacation is over...

...and the Scriptorium is back. My apologies for the silence the last few months.