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Environmental Science

How El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Affects Global Weather Patterns

Quick fact

The 1997–98 El Niño warmed the Pacific so much that a single event caused over $30 billion in global damages and thousands of deaths from floods, droughts, and storms.

Why this is interesting

Imagine a swimming pool of warm water in the Pacific that sloshes back and forth over a few years—suddenly floods in Peru, droughts in Australia, and milder winters in Canada. What is this mysterious giant, and why does it affect the whole planet?