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Weather
Introduction
Preliminary results from ongoing research indicate that changing environmental conditions have led to changes in how and where weather effects plants, animals, and people. Weather impacts aircraft takeoffs and landings due to factors such as storms, reduced visibility, low ceilings and precipitation. Climatic changes, both in themselves (e.g., sea surface temperature (Pathfinder SST data), increased rainfall (TOVS rain data) (TRMM TMI rain data),) and in the response of the land cover (e.g., vegetation index (Pathfinder NDVI data)), can be detected and monitored from space.
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Snow Anomalies During La Niña Winter |
Hurricane Mitch in Perspective |
Details of the relationship of weather with ENSO events vary (e.g., in lag time) depending upon what medium carries the message. The atmospheric winds (NSCAT wind data) and pressure systems move faster than do ocean currents. Thus warm water in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, working through increased evaporation, increased tropospheric humidity (UARS MLS data) and temperature (TOVS MSU data), and resulting shifts in the jet streams, produces shifts in rainfall patterns (TOVS rain data) (TRMM TMI rain data) much sooner than it produces shifts in antarctic sea ice, working through changes in ocean currents (Pathfinder SST data) (TOPEX/Poseidon data). No two ENSO events are alike, and thus no two ENSO-related weather events are alike.
The agricultural industry, with its field and orchard crops, is especially impacted by changes in weather patterns. Crop yields are higher when growing conditions are ideal; the reverse is also true. The National Climatic Data Center crop Moisture Stress Index reflects the influence of severe drought and catastrophic wetness on annual crop yield.
Jump to 'Weather' List of Web Sites
Disclaimer: NASA offers these suggested sites for additional information regarding effects of El Niño and La Niña teleconnection events. Web access is required to reach these sites. Link existence and contents are not under the control of the EOSDIS Science Operations Office.
Weather Effects Web Sites
