Overview of El Niño and La Niña

El Niño and La Niña, also known as the El Niño - Southern Oscillation (ENSO), are two opposing weather patterns that can substantially affect weather worldwide.  Typically, trade winds in the Pacific Ocean blow west along the equator taking warm water from South America towards Asia.

Breaking these typical weather patterns, El Niño and La Niña have opposite effects causing varying weather changes in different...