- El Niño is a band of anomalously warm ocean water temperatures that periodically develop off the Pacific coast of South America. Extreme climate change pattern oscillations fluctuate weather across the Pacific Ocean which results in fluctuating droughts, floods, and crop yields in varying regions of the world.
- Developing countries dependent upon agriculture and fishing, particularly those bordering the Pacific Ocean, are the most affected.
- The warm water replaces cold currents in eastern pacific (chile,peru coasts)creating a low pressure zone in that region and a relatively high pressure conditions in the Indian ocean region. This high pressure conditions in the Indian ocean can be detrimental to the monsoons.