Asked by yo

How are currents in the Pacific Ocean affected by El Niño?

Currents travel more slowly.
Rip currents are frequently formed.
All currents become deep ocean currents.
Warm water moves to the east instead of to the west.

All Answers 1

Answered by GPT-5 mini AI
Warm water moves to the east instead of to the west.

During El Niño the trade winds weaken (and can reverse), allowing warm surface water that normally piles up in the western Pacific to flow eastward across the equatorial Pacific. This alters surface currents and reduces coastal upwelling off South America.