EL NIÑO vs LA NIÑA

• El Niño was originally observed in Southern America as unusually warm seawater.
• El Niño in the Philippines usually starts between December and February.
• It is indicated by a delayed onset or early termination of the rainy season, and weak monsoon and tropical cyclone activity.
• It is also associated with severe dry spells or droughts which can be just as damaging.
• A primary concern during El Niño season is water supply.

• La Niña is characterized by sea surface temperatures lower than average.
• La Niña is caused by the upward movement of cold water by unusually strong trade winds and ocean currents in a process called upwelling.
• La Niña in the Philippines is also correlated with destructive typhoons, heavy rainfall, and associated landslides and floods.

Signs of impending El Niño and La Niña

• We can not see the signs of El Niño/La Niña. However, using sophisticated instruments, scientist can gather data that are subjected into different modelling analysis to predict and monitor different parameters that affect El Niño Southern Oscillation phenomenon.

MONITORING ENSO

El Niño and La Niña are monitored, assessed, and predicted through the Ocean Niño Index (ONI).
ONI as the average deviations in sea surface temperatures (SST’s) in the Niño region over a period of three months.
La Niña has been declared in the Philippines by PAGASA in November 2017 and was predicted to last until February 2018.

FORECASTING ENSO

ENSO phenomenon happens in the Equatorial Pacific region.
Though there are some indicators in the land that the phenomenon is happening, predicting it requires intensive study, monitoring and analysis.
Scientists from NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and other agencies use a variety of tools and techniques to monitor and forecast changes in the Pacific Ocean and the impact of those changes on global weather patterns.
In the tropical Pacific Ocean, El Niño is detected by many methods including satellites, moored buoys, drifting buoys, sea level analysis, and expandable buoys.
Large computer models of the global ocean and atmosphere use data from the ENSO observing system as input to predict El Niño.

TECHNOLOGY USED IN PREDICTION

provide data on tropical rainfall, wind, and ocean temperature patterns, as well as changes in conditions for hurricane formation.
Ocean buoys help in monitoring sea-surface and upper ocean temperatures.
Radiosondes help in monitoring global weather and climate patterns, and to monitor and predict El Niño and La Niña influences on weather.
Super computers are used to gather all of the weather data around the world and put in into useful formats used by scientists.
They also run sophisticated computer models to help scientists better understand and predict El Niño and La Niña.
An entire suite of diagnostic and prediction tools run on high-speed computers that allow El Niño and La Niña to be monitored in near real-time.

Preparedness and Mitigation

What to do Before and During El Niño and La Niña

BEFORE

• Know what heat hazard may occur where you are and learn how to plan for extreme heat.
• Plan changes in your daily activities to avoid strenuous work during the warmest part of the day.
• Consult a physician when affected by extreme heat.
• Undergo training on first aid.
• Interview local physicians and paramedics about the dangers of sunburn, heat exhaustion, heat stroke and other possible conditions caused by excessive heat.
• Turn the faucet off firmly to prevent leakage.
• Use the water dipper and pail instead of the shower while taking a bath.
• Instead of running water, use a glass of water while brushing your teeth.
• Buy new, water-efficient toilet bowls that consume only 2.6-4 liters of water every flush.
• Discard leftover food before washing dishes.
• Wash all your clothes at once.
• Reuse water from your laundry to flush your toilet, clean your car, or water your garden plants.
• Instead of a water hose, use only a pail and a towel in washing your car.
• Water your plants only before sunrise or after sunset to prevent water loss due to vaporization.
• Collect rainwater with pails and basins and store it for future use (e.g., watering the plants, cleaning the house).

DURING

• Switch off the water valve in buildings that are not operational at night.
• Report broken pipelines and illegal water connections to proper authorities.
• Fix the leaks of your home before it rains.
• Clean out your gutters and downspouts.
• Plan changes in your daily activities to avoid strenuous work during the warmest part of the day.
• During a drought, conserve water by placing a brick, or another large solid object in your toilet tank to reduce the amount of water used in flushing.
• Stay indoors as much as possible.
• Avoid extreme temperature changes like cool shower immediately after coming in from hot temperatures.
• Keep cool.
• Vacuum air conditioner filters weekly during periods of high use.
• Wear loose-fitting, lightweight, light-colored clothing that will cover as much skin as possible.
• Protect face and head by wearing a wide brimmed hat.
• Drink plenty of water even if you do not feel thirsty, to prevent dehydration.
• Take frequent breaks if you must work outdoors.
• Use a buddy system when working in extreme heat.
• Eat frequent small meals for easy digestion.
• Never leave children or pets alone in closed vehicles.

EL NIÑO AND LA NIÑA