• Two separate radar disk views of a section of Earth, which are mapped out to show different temperatures of water in the Pacific Ocean. Red and white areas in the middle represent an El Niño effect, or warmer waters in the Pacific Ocean. The left view shows the El Niño effect in 1997 while the right view shows the El Niño effect in 2015.
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    These images were created using data collected by the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite and the Ocean Surface Topography Mission/Jason-2 satellite. The colors indicate differences in sea surface height, which reflect differences in temperature. Higher areas (red and white) are warmer. Lower areas (pink and purple) are colder. 

    The red band cutting across the Pacific indicates an El Niño, the warming of waters in the tropical Pacific. An El Niño occurs every three to seven years and is linked to changes in air pressure and high-level winds. It affects weather worldwide and normally develops during March-June, reaches peak intensity during December-April, and then weakens during May-July. 

    The 1997-98 El Niño is the strongest on record and 2015's is just as strong. 

  • Two separate radar disk views of a section of Earth, which are mapped out to show different temperatures of water in the Pacific Ocean. Red and white areas in the middle represent an El Niño effect, or warmer waters in the Pacific Ocean. The left view shows the El Niño effect in 1997 while the right view shows the El Niño effect in 2015.

ID#:

WEB15319-2016

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