What was El Niño 2015?
The 2015-16 event possessed most of the classic defining features of an El Niño event. Water temperatures in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean were more than 2° C (3.6° F) above average, as they had been during previous strong El Niño events in 1982-83 and 1997-98.
When was the last El Niño in South Africa?
Relative to 1992, stronger El Niño events were equally recorded in 2016, 1998, and 1983. According to Rouault and Richard (2005), 1983 and 1992 are among the years with the most severe droughts at the 6-month time scale for the summer rainfall region of South Africa.
Did an El Niño event occur in 2015 2016?
The 2015-2016 El Niño officially tied the 1997-1998 event as the strongest El Niño on record, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced the first week of January 2016.
When did El Niño occur?
Since 2000, El Niño events have been observed in 2002–03, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2009–10, 2014–16, and 2018–19. Major ENSO events were recorded in the years 1790–93, 1828, 1876–78, 1891, 1925–26, 1972–73, 1982–83, 1997–98, and 2014–16.
What causes El Niño in South Africa?
Oxfam South Africa conducted research into the effects of the latest El Nino in South Africa. El Nino is a change in weather patterns caused by the warming of the Pacific Ocean near the equator, off the coast of South America. El Nino usually means less rainfall in most countries, but high rainfall in some countries.
How does El Niño affect South Africa?
El Niño usually affects the main growing season across Southern Africa by causing widespread drier than average conditions and lower vegetation growth across the region.
What causes the El Niño effect in Southern Africa?
How does El Niño affect South African weather?
Higher sea surface temperatures warm the atmosphere during the El Niño phase, resulting in greater convection and rainfall over Eastern Africa. By contrast, a continental high-pressure system dominates Southern Africa and suppresses regional atmospheric convection and rainfall (Mulenga et al., 2003).