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IMAGE: (Left) Predicted change of ocean surface temperature in 2050-2099 relative to 1950-1999 using an ensemble of climate models. (Right) Predicted change in amplitude of rainfall fluctuations (year-to-year standard deviation) in. view more
Credit: Credit: Kyung-Sook Yun
The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the most energetic naturally occurring year-to-year variation of ocean temperature and rainfall on our planet. The irregular swings between warm and wet El Niño conditions in the equatorial Pacific and the cold and dry La Niña state influence weather conditions worldwide, with impacts on ecosystems, agriculture and economies. Climate models predict that the difference between El Niño- and La Niña-related tropical rainfall will increase over the next 80 years, even though the temperature difference between El Niño and La Niña may change only very little in response to global warming. A new study published in