what is the el nino

El Niño is a climate pattern that originates in the Pacific Ocean along the equator and impacts weather all over the world. It is the warm phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and is associated with a band of warm ocean water that develops in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific, including the area off the Pacific coast of South America. During an El Niño event, westward-blowing trade winds weaken along the Equator, causing warm surface water to move eastward. This can cause global impacts on weather, wildfires, ecosystems, and economies. El Niño can affect weather significantly, causing the Pacific jet stream to move south of its neutral position, which can result in dryer and warmer conditions in areas in the northern U.S. and Canada, and wetter than usual conditions in the U.S. Gulf Coast and Southeast. El Niño can also bring tropical species, like yellowtail and albacore tuna, into areas that are normally too cold. The term El Niño (Spanish for the Christ Child) refers to a warming of the ocean surface, or above-average sea surface temperatures, in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.