00:00 El Niño and La Niña are opposing climatic phenomena which affect global weather patterns.
00:14 They are linked to fluctuations in temperature in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean around
00:18 the equator.
00:21 During an El Niño event, ocean surface waters warm near the coasts of South America.
00:28 It is generally associated with a rise in global temperatures, severe droughts in certain
00:33 parts of the world, and heavy rainfall in others.
00:40 During a La Niña event, the opposite generally occurs in terms of rainfall.
00:45 It is accompanied by a cooling of the surface waters of the Pacific and a general decrease
00:49 in temperature.
00:56 Scientists don't yet know exactly what causes these phenomena, but they do know it is linked
01:00 to a cycle of variations in atmospheric pressure between the east and western Pacific, linked
01:06 to a cycle of ocean currents along the equator.
01:11 These two phenomena can last from 9 to 12 months and occur irregularly but within a
01:15 time frame of 2 to 7 years.
01:17 [END]
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