AP Environmental Science · Earth Systems & Resources
Normal Conditions
Strong Easterly Trade Winds blow warm surface water West toward Australia. This allows cold, nutrient-rich deep water to upwell off the coast of South America, supporting massive fish populations.
El Niño (Warm Phase)
Trade winds weaken or reverse. Warm water sloshes back East toward South America. Upwelling stops, devastating local fisheries. Australia experiences severe droughts.
La Niña (Cold Phase)
An extreme version of normal. Trade winds become supercharged. Even more warm water is pushed West, and extreme upwelling occurs in the East. Australia faces floods, South America faces severe drought.
Tags
APESENSOUpwellingClimate
ENSO Phase Data
Select an ENSO phase to observe the shift in Trade Winds, ocean surface temperatures, and the resulting biological impacts of upwelling.
Select Phase (Equatorial Pacific)
Biological Impact
Normal trade winds push surface water away from the South American coast, drawing cold, nutrient-rich water up from the deep (Upwelling). This sustains massive anchovy fisheries.