EL NIÑO'S POWERFUL REACH   What is
El Niño?
Clues From
the Past
Long Distance
Connections
Winners &
Losers
El Niño
Lowdown

Left 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 El Niño: The Boy Child Right

The term "El Niño" originated in 19th century Peru to note poor fishing conditions that regularly occur around Christmas. Fish catches suffer because Peru's normally cold ocean water warms, becoming poorer in nutrients. Every three to seven years, a large-scale El Niño occurs that has impacts beyond coastal Peru. This global event is also called El Niño. Click to View Animation
Visualization of El Niño ocean surface temperature conditions.