How do El Nino and La Nino affect North America?

Answer 1

In North America, typically, winters are warmer than normal in the upper Midwest states and Canada, while central and southern California, northwest Mexico and the southeastern U.S., are wetter than normal. Summer is wetter in the intermountain regions of the U.S. The Pacific Northwest states, on the other hand, tend to be drier during an El Niño. During a La Niña, by contrast, the Midwestern U.S. tends to be drier than normal. El Niño is associated with decreased hurricane activity in the Atlantic, especially south of 25º N; this reduction is largely due to stronger wind shear over the tropics.

Answer 2

El nino is the name given to the short term (generally 6-8 month period), periodic change in the location of warm and cold water masses in the Pacific Ocean. During El Nino the winds in the western pacific ocean, which are usually weak, strengthen and push warm water eastward. Rainfall follows the warm water eastward and produces increased rainfall in the southern half of the United States and in equatorial South America.

Answer 3

El Nino tends to bring more moisture to the southern United States, for example, especially in the winter. This causes more storms off the east coast of the United States and up through the Canadian Maritimes. This is a time when Southern California typically sees a lot of storms and mudslides.

Answer 4

El Niño typically brings warmer, drier conditions to the northern United States and cooler, wetter conditions to the southern United States. La Niña has the opposite effect, typically bringing cooler, wetter conditions to the northern United States and warmer, drier conditions to the southern United States. These changes in temperature and precipitation patterns can impact agriculture, water resources, and weather extremes in North America.