El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a coupled ocean–atmosphere phenomenon in the tropical Pacific characterized by quasi-periodic fluctuations between warm (El Niño), cold (La Niña), and neutral phases. It arises from interactions among equatorial Pacific sea-surface temperatures, trade winds, and the Walker circulation, producing large-scale anomalies in convection, thermocline depth, and surface pressure, notably the Southern Oscillation index. ENSO modulates global atmospheric circulation, altering precipitation, temperature, and storm tracks on interannual timescales, and serves as a key source of seasonal-to-interannual climate variability and predictability in climate diagnostics and modeling.
Researchers have long known that there is an asymmetry in the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the confluence of wind and water currents that creates warm El Niño events and cooler La Niña events. Large-scale climate ...
Earth Sciences
12 hours ago
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The current El Nino weather phenomenon is expected to break records for its overall strength, a top expert said Tuesday, as regions face the risk of droughts, floods and other extremes linked to the event.
Environment
14 hours ago
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The world's oceans are the hottest on record for June, pushing past records set during the 2023–24 El Niño years.
Environment
Jul 5, 2026
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El Nino is here and will quickly develop into a strong event between July and September, fueling the likelihood of extreme weather, the United Nations' climate agency warned Friday.
Environment
Jul 4, 2026
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Isoprene is a volatile organic compound (VOC) that is produced naturally by plants. More than 500 megatonnes of isoprene are emitted each year into Earth's atmosphere, primarily from tropical forests. Soils are recognized ...
Earth Sciences
Jun 30, 2026
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Governments, corporations and other institutions must all play constructive roles in mitigating the impacts of climate change. Universities, too, can and must help with that effort.
Environment
Jun 26, 2026
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El Niño, characterized by warmer-than-normal water temperatures in parts of the equatorial Pacific, made its return in June 2026. Observations of sea surface height from the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite that month ...
Earth Sciences
Jun 21, 2026
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There is a more than 60% chance that a "super" El Niño will develop by the end of this year.
Plants & Animals
Jun 17, 2026
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In a strong El Niño winter, normally dry regions can suddenly drown in rain. NASA notes that "typically dry regions can experience nearly two times as much rain during a strong El Niño." Indeed, the blockbuster El Niños of ...
It's official: El Niño is back. By late fall 2026, forecast models give a 2-in-3 chance of a strong-to-very-strong El Niño affecting the weather, climate and ocean temperatures across the planet.
Environment
Jun 15, 2026
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