Answer to Question 1
Answer: Weather patterns in the Pacific are controlled by warm, high-pressure systems that cause the trade winds to blow westward along the equator, dragging the warm equatorial surface waters along with them. As warm surface waters move westward, deeper, colder waters rise upward to replace vacant area left by the warm water. This upwelling cold water brings a variety of sea lifeimportant to the fishing industry along the west coast of South America. When the trade winds fail to strengthen, the warm surface water remains off the coast of South America. This is the El Nio condition. During an El Nio, warm surface waters stretch eastward and the subtropical jet stream sends tropical moisture to the coast of South America. At higher latitudes, it sends rain to California and snow to the Rockies. El Nio tends to make winter temperatures warmer than normal in the North Central States, and cooler than normal in the Southeast and Southwest.
Answer to Question 2
Answer: C