Briefly describe the effects of severe El Nio events. What ...

[vinney12]

Briefly describe the effects of severe El Nio events.
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Discuss uneven solar heating as a function of latitude and how this contributes to the formation of global wind belts.
 
  What will be an ideal response?

[tennis14576]

Answer to Question 1

Severe El Nio events can be associated with ecological and economic disaster. In areas that normally experience upwelling, specifically the tropical eastern Pacific, a strong El Nio event brings warm water into an area and may even result in downwelling instead of upwelling. Marine life dependent upon upwelling of nutrient-rich waters is adversely affected. Areas normally experiencing arid conditions may receive above-normal precipitation, while normally wet areas may experience the opposite effect.

Answer to Question 2

Sunlight strikes low latitudes at a high angle, so the radiation is concentrated in a relatively small area. Sunlight strikes high latitudes at a low angle, so the same amount of radiation is spread over a larger area. Earth's atmosphere absorbs some radiation, so less radiation strikes Earth at high latitudes than at low latitudes because sunlight passes through more of the atmosphere at high latitudes. The differential heating causes warm air to rise at low latitudes creating wind patterns.