27/04/2026
Word of the Day: 𝗘𝗡𝗦𝗢
𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗻 /ˈɛnsoʊ/
The El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a large-scale climate phenomenon that contributes to annual global climate variability by changing the global atmospheric circulation.
ENSO influences temperature and precipitation across the planet through its three (3) phases:
1. El Niño:
Warming of the ocean surface or above-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. In the Philippines, El Niño is associated with below-normal rainfall and fewer tropical cyclones.
2. La Niña
Cooling of the ocean surface, or below-average sea surface temperatures (SST), in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. In the Philippines, La Niña is associated with above-normal rainfall and more tropical cyclones.
3. Neutral
Sea surface records generally average temperatures that cannot be categorized as either El Niño or La Niña.
Source:
1.L'Heureux, M. (2014, May 5). What is the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) in a nutshell? Climate. https://www.climate.gov/news-features/blogs/enso/what-el-nino-southern-oscillation-enso-nutshell
2. World Meteorological Organization. (n.d.). El Niño / La Niña. World Meteorological Organization WMO. Retrieved April 27, 2026, from https://wmo.int/topics/el-nino-la-nina