Can El Niño Reduce the Severity of Atlantic Storms?

Abstract:

El Niño is a climatic event that starts in the tropical Pacific Ocean and sets off changes in the atmosphere. El Niño (Spanish for "the Christ Child") refers to a warm ocean current that typically appears off the Pacific coast of South America around Christmas time. Ocean temperatures off the coast of Peru can increase by 1^oC to 7^oC. El Niño comes to the South American Coast every two to seven years and can disrupt fishing and affect the atmosphere and oceans to make stormy weather more likely in the area for several months. During El Niño the jet stream often splits, changing wind and precipitation patterns around the world. It can cause drought in Australia and Africa, disrupt monsoon rains and cause storms in California. There may even be a connection between El Niño and Atlantic ocean storms.

 

Outcome:

This lesson focuses upon the scientific phenomenon of El Niño and its effect on global weather. Specifically, students will investigate the possible correlation between El Niño and the frequency with which Atlantic Ocean storms hit the United States of America coastline. Activities will enable learners to understand that El Niño is a climate event which starts in the tropical Pacific Ocean and affects atmospheric and oceanic changes far beyond its point of origin.

 

• Access and evaluate Internet data to determine dates of past occurrences of El Niño.
• Graph the occurrence of El Niño events geologic history.
• Collect and graph data to correlate El Niño occurrences with Atlantic hurricanes and tropical storms that make landfall on the mainland of the United States.
• Compare your findings to other studies on El Niño.

 

Suggested Grade Level & Duration:

Grades 9-12; 2 to 3 fifty-minute periods.

 

Materials:

Internet-capable computer with printer, graphing software or graph paper, paper and pencil.

 

 

 

Background - Procedure - Printable - Standards - Credits