1. Trade winds blow E-W in the Pacific
6. Warm surface waters pile up on the western Pacific
3. Warm surface water is moved from South America towards Asia/Australia
5. Cold water rises up from the depths to the surface to replace the warm surface water (upwelling)
4. This leads to nutrient rich water and high fish catches off the coast of the Americas
7. Warm water piling up = more evaporation, humidity and convection (rising air)
2. Rainfall in the western Pacific
Thunderstorms are shifted eastwards
Surface water (sloshes) moves back towards South America
Nutrient supply from the deep is cut off
Less nutrients = less phytoplankton
Less phytoplankton means less food for fish (and the fish who feed off those fish in the food chain)
Less convection (rising warm air and evaporation) means lower humidity and rainfall
Temperature of the tropical eastern Pacific rises by 0.5°C
Drought in Australia (lower than average rainfall)
Floods in South America (higher than average rainfall)
Trade Winds are stronger than normal
Higher than normal atmospheric pressure in the eastern Pacific
Winds blow from high to low, so stronger Trade Winds
More humidity and rainfall in western Pacific than normal
Colder, drier conditions in the eastern Pacific than normal
Floods in western Pacific
