QUESTION:
QUESTION:
QUESTION:
QUESTION:
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What effects does El Niņo have on the world other than higher temperatures in some areas? Bart, Charleston Middle School, Charleston, IL
ANSWER:
Dear Bart,
El Niņo has many other effects other than those on temperature. For instance, during an El Niņo there are noticeably fewer hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean. In some areas of the southeast United States, there are more tornadoes during El Niņo conditions. Drought conditions occur in portions of Asia with floods in other countries of the world.
Some of these events would happen even without El Niņo, but during El Niņo there are more extreme weather conditions.
EXPERT:
Jim Lushine
National Weather Service
Did La Nina cause the late typhoon season and the large number of typhoons hitting northern Japan this year?
ANSWER:
That's a good question! La Niņa does have an effect on the number of hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean, by allowing more hurricanes to form than under other conditions. Presumably, there are effects caused by La Niņa on typhoon formation as well. La Niņa also plays a part in the track that hurricanes take, and likewise it may have had an effect on the track of the western Pacific typhoons.
EXPERT:
Jim Lushine
National Weather Service
How are you able to fly an airplane through a hurricane?
ANSWER:
It has to be a very strong airplane with very special (experienced) pilots. We also fly through well above the ground were the turbulence (sudden movement of the air) is less. The air is moving faster at these levels but it is less turbulent. We also know were the weak spots are with the radar on the plain.
Are there any differences between hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones? Mike, Charleston Middle School, Charleston, IL
ANSWER:
Mike:
Good question.
Hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones are the same type of storm system, a tropical cyclone which forms in the tropics. Hurricanes are tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean east of the dateline, typhoons are tropical cyclones in the Pacific Ocean west of the dateline and cyclones are tropical cyclones in the Indian Ocean.
EXPERT:
Wayne Presnell
National Weather Service
