Final answer:
The warmer than average water temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean in 1997 could've triggered an El Niño event, which can alter global weather patterns. This may have caused record snowfalls in the Rocky Mountains.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's statement refers to a phenomenon known as El Niño. El Niño is a climate pattern that describes the unusual warming of surface waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean. The warmer water temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean can cause changes in atmospheric circulation, which in turn affects weather patterns globally. It is possible that the record snowfalls in the Rocky Mountains in 1997 were influenced by an El Niño event, as changes in atmospheric circulation can bring more moisture (and therefore more snowfall) to certain regions.
Learn more about El Niño