Changes in the Atmosphere and Ocean During a Transition From La Niña to El Niño

El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), is an ocean-atmosphere coupled phenomenon that affects global weather such as rainfall and drought patterns. We use several NASA and NOAA data products (listed below) to visualize the interaction between the ocean and atmosphere during the transition from La Niña 2021 to El Niño 2023. The visualization is a comprehensive explainer showing changes in the upper 300 meters of the Pacific Ocean (such as thermocline relaxation and eastward movement of warm temperature anomalies) and the changes in the lower atmosphere (e.g., the Walker Circulation). It is among the first efforts in visualizing the Walker Circulation and its convective branch moving across the Pacific without schematic plots but rather with verified model outputs.

Universal Music Production: “April Fools Instrumental”

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center
Kathleen Gaeta (GSFC AMA): Lead Producer
Jefferson Beck (GSFC KBR): Producer
Atousa Saberi (NASA GSFC): Lead Scientist, Lead Visualizer
Greg Shirah (NASA GSFC): Visualizer