Sunday, February 11, 2007
El Nino weakens
By Stella A. Estremera
THE El Niño condition is expected to end in the next month or two, the latest El Nino-Southern Oscillation (Enso) Diagnostic Discussion of the US Climate Prediction Center (CPC) reported.
In its February 8 report, it said, "A transition from weak El Niño conditions to Enso-neutral conditions is expected by March-May 2007."
The CPC predicted this based on the decreased sea surface temperature anomalies across the entire equatorial Pacific in January.
"These trends in surface and subsurface ocean temperatures indicate that the warm episode (El Niño) is weakening. It is still possible for some areas to experience El Nino-related effects during the next month, primarily in the region of the central tropical Pacific," the report said.
The term El Niño was coined originally in Peru to describe the annual warm ocean current running southwards along the coast of Peru and Ecuador about Christmas-time (hence Niño, Spanish for "the boy Christ-child").
This was later associated with the unusually large warming that occur every few years.
The atmospheric component that is studied together with El Niño is called "Southern Oscillation." Thus, scientists call the phenomenon where the atmosphere and ocean collaborate as Enso.
El Niño corresponds to the warm phase of Enso. The cold phase of Enso or the basinwide colling of the tropical Pacific is called La Niña.For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star General Santos. For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (February 11, 2007 issue)
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