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.
When it comes to global warming and climate change, we often hear news stories about tipping points where Earth's systems shift into a new and dangerous state. One such may have been reached in the year 2000 that caused tropical ...
Stronger El Niño events are more likely when springtime surface waters in the western Pacific Ocean become unusually salty, a new study in Geophysical Research Letters suggests. Traditionally, scientists have focused on temperature ...
La Niña—a climate phenomenon characterized by unusually cool sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean—can persist for multiple years, exerting significant climate impacts worldwide. In recent ...
Earth Sciences
Jan 22, 2026
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Water extremes such as droughts and floods have a huge impact on communities, ecosystems, and economies. Researchers with The University of Texas at Austin have turned their attention to tracking these extremes across Earth ...
Earth Sciences
Jan 12, 2026
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The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the planet's greatest driver of year-to-year climate swings, shapes temperature, rainfall, and extreme weather around the world. Its impact ranges from heat waves and floods to air ...
Earth Sciences
Jan 12, 2026
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A weak La Niña emerged in the equatorial Pacific in late 2025, and scientists are watching how it may help shape weather and climate in the months ahead.
Planetary Sciences
Dec 16, 2025
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There is a 55% chance of a weak La Niña impacting weather and climate patterns during the next three months, according to the latest update from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Even though La Niña has a temporary ...
Environment
Dec 8, 2025
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In recent years, as extreme weather events have occurred with increasing frequency, scientists have been searching within the chaotic atmospheric system for clues that can enhance forecasting capabilities—factors such as ...
Earth Sciences
Nov 6, 2025
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A new study published in the journal Nature Communications reveals that the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), a key driver of global climate variability, is projected to undergo a dramatic transformation due to greenhouse ...
Earth Sciences
Oct 16, 2025
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A new study published in the journal Science, led by scientists at the City College of New York (CCNY) and Columbia University, challenges long-held beliefs about how El Niño events influence rainfall during the Indian summer ...
Earth Sciences
Sep 28, 2025
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