Australians/Western Americans

InnerBrat · Post by **InnerBrat** » 2003-05-15 09:11am

I want very quick and short 'factoid' type info about the effects of El Nino (you've just had one, if you didn't notice)

So this could be drought-related disasters in the IndoPacific, wet weather disasters in the Americas. Don't worry, I'm Googling as well, (and know the theory) but you've got local resources.

This is for an exam tomorrow, BTW, and throwaway facts tend to get high marks when thrown in with the generals.

Thanks, guys!

InnerBrat · Post by **InnerBrat** » 2003-05-15 10:33am

For some examples, here's what I've got so far:

Western Pacific
Droughts due to the movement of the LPC, leading to dust storms and forest fires. The Asutralian wheat yield is affected.

In 1997, logging fires in Indonesia, which would usually be put out by rain, became out of control, causeing unprecented levels of smog acorss south east Asia. The Pollution Standard Index, which measures on a scale of 0-400, in which 400 is life threatening, registered as high as 500 in places. In Malaysia, at PSI 300, it became a legal requirement to wear face mask when working out doors. At PSI exceeding 400, it became illegal to do any work outdoors other than emergency workers. Local endangered wildlife were affected, and there were a numebr of ship collicions and plane crashes in the smoke.

Difficulty in obtaining wtaer in impoversihed regions of Australi increases suceptibility to disease such as malaria and dysentary.

The Americas
Heavy rainfall, including flooding and storms. In Arizona, where flooding is associated with storms, the greatest floods in the last century have been during El Nino events. Rainfall drives rodents in New Mexico to the populated lowlands, which are followed by dangerous predators, such as rattlesnakes.

The Great Salt Lake has no outflow, and loses water by evaporation only. Between 1982 and 86, the Lake level rose by 3.7m, causing damage in the order of $285m, to lakeside industires, transportaion, farmland and natural habitats. the dilution of the lake affected salt and metal extraction and caused a change in biota.

The shutting offof the upwelling in the Pacific depletes the nutirent source, having serious affects on the food chain - the usual algal bloom is depleted and there is a loss in fish and bird diversity, in turn damaging the fish harvests off Florida and Peru.

Increased humidity brings an increase in insects, and mosquito-carried diseases.

Frank Hipper · Post by **Frank Hipper** » 2003-05-15 03:50pm

An additional tidbit, just so you know, the El Nino effects in Arizona were very mild to unnoticeable this year, innerbrat. Which is unfortunate, we've been suffering from a drought for quite some time. A lot of resevoirs are down to 20% capacity. It will be a shitty summer and fire season.....

InnerBrat · Post by **InnerBrat** » 2003-05-15 03:56pm

Frank Hipper wrote:An additional tidbit, just so you know, the El Nino effects in Arizona were very mild to unnoticeable this year, innerbrat. Which is unfortunate, we've been suffering from a drought for quite some time. A lot of resevoirs are down to 20% capacity. It will be a shitty summer and fire season.....

Thanks, Frank, but I'm not bringing mild-to-unnoticeble stories into my Tale of Horror

(but at least you answered)

TrailerParkJawa · Post by **TrailerParkJawa** » 2003-05-15 04:12pm

Innerbrat,

Are you refering to this recent year? We really did not get hit with an El Nino this year , per se. Northern California just had the wettest spring in the last 20 years or so, but it was not related to El Nino, or its opposite ( cant remember the name ).

We had a huge El Nino event back in the 96-97 winter. It rained almost every day all winter long. Im in the San Francisco bay area. Snow pack in the Sierra Nevada was far above average.

TPJ

NapoleonGH · Post by **NapoleonGH** » 2003-05-15 04:37pm

Jawa: the opposite of El Nino, is La Nina

RedImperator · Post by **RedImperator** » 2003-05-15 04:59pm

The Eastern Seaboard got hammered by one of the worst winters of the last 100 years, but IIRC, El Nino is supposed to produce mild and dry winters here.

InnerBrat · Post by **InnerBrat** » 2003-05-15 05:26pm

TPJ, No, any El Nino, and you havejust had one.

see here

RI, no, El Nino brings increased precipitation to the Eastern Pacific - as the usually Easterly Trade winds reverse direction, bringing moisture that usually falls over Australia and Asia.

Anyway, I'm using the effects above now, just need to remember that.

NapoleonGH · Post by **NapoleonGH** » 2003-05-15 05:30pm

and innerbrat, your statemtn of the effects of el nino makes no mention of the peculilarity of the US eastern seaboard having a major winter wonderland this year, first since winter of 1995-1996 for the NYC metro area; while el nino is supposed to produce mild and dry winters in the US eastern seaboard, hence the fact that there was no major snowstorm in the 1996-1997 season

TrailerParkJawa · Post by **TrailerParkJawa** » 2003-05-15 05:56pm

Innerbrat,

Here is a real world impact on local construction from El Nino. The article is from 1998.

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco ... tory5.html

Post by **weemadando** » 2003-05-16 12:16am

Australia has been suffering from the worst drought in recorded history here... Our crops are down to something like 30% and similar levels for stock.

TrailerParkJawa · Post by **TrailerParkJawa** » 2003-05-16 11:55am

weemadando wrote:Australia has been suffering from the worst drought in recorded history here... Our crops are down to something like 30% and similar levels for stock.

You have pretty bad bush fires too. What impact has the drought had on wildlife?

RedImperator · Post by **RedImperator** » 2003-05-16 12:28pm

I should have specified. I meant the Eastern Seaboard of the United States, i.e. the Atlantic coast.

Post by **LadyTevar** » 2003-05-16 12:48pm

RedImperator is right, Innerbrat.

Usually here in the Eastern US, an El Nino event means mild, dry weather, which has had us in drought conditions for the past 5 years.

This year, however, we were overwhelmed by rain and snow, with resulting floods in many areas. IIRC, we've received more precipitation this winter than the past two combined. I'll recheck that to make sure, though.

InnerBrat · Post by **InnerBrat** » 2003-05-16 03:23pm

*points at thread title*

Don't confuse me, my brain is frazzled.

Queeb Salaron · Post by **Queeb Salaron** » 2003-05-16 04:23pm

NapoleonGH wrote:and innerbrat, your statemtn of the effects of el nino makes no mention of the peculilarity of the US eastern seaboard having a major winter wonderland this year, first since winter of 1995-1996 for the NYC metro area; while el nino is supposed to produce mild and dry winters in the US eastern seaboard, hence the fact that there was no major snowstorm in the 1996-1997 season

Boston also got pounded with more snow than it's seen since since the early '50s, IIRC. We got 27 inches in one day this year. Absolutely RAPED with snow.

Post by **weemadando** » 2003-05-17 01:29am

TrailerParkJawa wrote:
weemadando wrote:Australia has been suffering from the worst drought in recorded history here... Our crops are down to something like 30% and similar levels for stock.
You have pretty bad bush fires too. What impact has the drought had on wildlife?

I'll put it this way. A Kangaroo can go without water for about 10 times as long as a camel. Australian wildlife are used to this kinda shit.

JodoForce · Post by **JodoForce** » 2003-05-17 02:38am

Well, having fires burn down from the top of the Blue Mountains down to suburban Sydney CAN'T be good for wildlife

Post by **weemadando** » 2003-05-17 02:46am

JodoForce wrote:Well, having fires burn down from the top of the Blue Mountains down to suburban Sydney CAN'T be good for wildlife :o

Again, most of our animals have gotten used to it. Its a natural population control. Not to mention the fact that the majority of our native plants require fire in order to trigger reproduction.