Citation
The definition of El Niño
TL;DR
ENSO operates on 2-7 year irregular cycles
Standard scientific reference for understanding El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the 2-7 year interannual climate cycle that creates unpredictable droughts and floods globally. ENSO is the primary driver of short-term climate variability and demonstrates cycles that individuals experience multiple times per lifetime but cannot predict precisely.
Key Findings from Trenberth (1997)
- ENSO operates on 2-7 year irregular cycles
- Creates global patterns of droughts and floods
- Timing is unpredictable even though cycle is known