AMS Certification Practice Exam 2025 – Complete Study Resource

El Niño is characterized by a warming of the tropical Pacific Ocean, particularly along the equator, which can significantly affect global weather patterns. This phenomenon occurs when the trade winds weaken, allowing warmer water from the western Pacific to move eastward toward the coasts of South America. The resulting changes in ocean temperature have widespread implications, including alterations in precipitation patterns, increased storm activity, and changes in temperature across different regions. The impact of El Niño can lead to droughts in some areas and excessive rainfall and flooding in others, demonstrating the interconnectedness of oceanic temperature changes and atmospheric conditions.

In contrast, other choices describe scenarios that do not align with the characteristics of El Niño. For instance, a cooling of the western Pacific Ocean and the consistent pattern of monsoons do not accurately represent the effects or conditions of an El Niño event. Additionally, unchanging climate patterns globally is contrary to the very nature of El Niño, which introduces variability and disruption to typical climate conditions. Understanding the unique warming effect of El Niño helps to grasp its significance on global weather systems.