In New Mexico, wetter than normal conditions are more likely during El Niño events with drier than normal conditions during La Niña events, particularly during the cool seasons of winter and spring.ĭue to the change in SSTs in the tropical Pacific, atmosheric circulations change dramatically during El Niño and La Niña events. The changes in SST in the tropical Pacific not only affect the distribution of precipitation near the equator, but also result in modified tropical atmospheric circulations that ultimately change the positions of the jet stream and storm tracks in the higher latitudes, including North America.Ĭlimate variability associated with the ENSO cycle has been observed at numerous locations across the globe for many years. SSTs in the tropical Pacific vary dramatically, and in recent years cool conditions have dominated. Detailed information regarding ENSO can be found on NOAA's Climate Prediction Center (CPC) and Earth System Research Laboratory web sites. This example of interannual variability is referred to as ENSO, or El Niño Southern Oscillation, and was first noted as a cycle of warmer-than-normal and cooler-than-normal SSTs. In a cycle of natural climate variability, ocean-atmospheric interactions result in sea surface temperatures (SST) that regularly fluctuate in the tropical Pacific Ocean. What are the effects of El Niño on Precipitation Across New Mexico? El Niño Conditions in the Tropical Pacific

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