Question

Which oscillation when present makes it harder fir tropical storms ti firm jn the Atlantic Ocean?

A. La Nina

B. El Nino

C. Atlantic multidecadal Oscilation (AMI)

D. North Atlantic Oscilation (NAO)

Answer 1

El Nino is a big phenomenon, and it generally disrupts weather patterns around the globe. An El Nino condition forms when surface water in the Pacific (equatorial) becomes warmer than average and winds towards the east blow very weaker than normal. (refer image below to understand El Nino phenomenon)

Warm El Nino events leads to more tropical storms and hurricanes in the eastern Pacific ocean and a subsequent decrease in the Atlantic ocean, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.

Atlantic Hurricanes: Tropical Storms that form in the Atlantic Ocean between the month of June and November.

Why El Nino affects Hurricanes in the Atlantic?

- An increase in the equatorial sea surface temperature in the Pacific leads to an increase in vertical wind shear in the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean. This increased wind shears due to El Nino prevents tropical disturbances to develop into Hurricanes and develops greater atmospheric stability in the Atlantic.

Storm activity will be more in the Eastern Pacific Ocean during El Nino. During La Nina, Storm activity will be more in Atlantic.