NASA has a unique three-dimensional view of the 2015 El Nino,
a combination of ocean measurements
and cutting-edge supercomputer simulations.
An El Nino occurs when the equatorial Pacific Ocean
is warmer than normal
shown here in red.
Focused on the top 225 meters of the ocean,
the vertical height is exaggerated in this view
to better show the distribution of temperature changes.
The 2015 El Nino peaked in December,
and by April of 2016 the ocean
had transitioned back to normal temperatures.
Changing winds drive an El Nino event,
pushing warm waters from Indonesia
over to the Americas.
The yellow arrows show strong eastward currents,
which are dominant during an El Nino.
The white arrows show the west-flowing currents,
which return as El Nino fades away.
This dataset has helped scientists at NASA
improve forecasts of future El Nino events
and their global impacts.
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