Question

In an el nino year, trade winds weaken, causing warm water to accumulate in the pacific ocean. During el nino, people living in Central America will likely experience...

1) Increased rainfall and flooding
2) Drought and water scarcity
3) Strong winds and hurricanes
4) Extreme cold temperatures

Answer 1

In an El Niño year, the weakened trade winds lead to warm water accumulation in the Pacific Ocean. For Central America, this often results in increased rainfall and flooding due to the warmer air's ability to hold more moisture.

Step-by-step explanation:

During an El Niño event, the weakening of the trade winds causes warm water from the western Pacific to accumulate towards the central and eastern Pacific. This shift in warm water and atmospheric pressure impacts weather patterns globally, leading to various extreme weather conditions in the affected regions.

In Central America specifically, the impact of El Niño typically includes increased rainfall and flooding. This is because the warm water increases the temperature of the air above it, which can hold more moisture, leading to more significant cloud formation and precipitation over the region.