Question

In the southern hemisphere, in the Pacific Ocean, what direction does the wind normally come from? What happens to these winds during an El NIno? (Note: they do not always reverse)

Answer 1

In the southern hemisphere, winds in the Pacific Ocean normally come from the east and southeast. During an El Niño event, the wind patterns can change, resulting in weaker trade winds and potentially a reversal of wind direction.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the southern hemisphere, in the Pacific Ocean, the wind normally comes from the east and southeast. The wind direction is influenced by the Coriolis force, which causes winds to rotate clockwise in the southern hemisphere.

During an El Niño event, the wind patterns in the Pacific Ocean can change. The warm ocean current that flows off the west coast of South America during El Niño can disrupt the normal wind patterns. This can result in weaker trade winds and even a reversal of wind direction in some areas.

Answer 2

Winds in the southern hemisphere normally come from the west, but during an El Niño event, the wind patterns can be disrupted because of changed air pressure distribution, leading to altered global weather patterns.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the southern hemisphere, particularly in the Pacific Ocean, the winds normally come from the west due to the West Wind Drift, or the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, which is influenced by the Coriolis force. This force also causes tropical cyclones in the southern hemisphere to rotate in a clockwise direction. During an El Niño event, which refers to a cycle of warm and cold temperatures in the equatorial Pacific, normal weather patterns can be disrupted. Although wind directions do not always reverse, the characteristics of El Niño include high air pressure in the western Pacific and low air pressure in the eastern Pacific, which can alter wind patterns and cause extreme weather conditions. This phenomenon affects global weather, leading to changes in temperature and rainfall patterns.