Whose research explained the El Niño weather pattern?
Quick Answer
Gilbert Walker identified the Southern Oscillation, a key atmospheric pattern tied to El Niño. Later scientists connected his work to the modern El Niño–Southern Oscillation system.
The Full Story
Gilbert Walker, a British mathematician and meteorologist, studied pressure patterns over the Pacific and Indian Oceans in the early 1900s. He identified the Southern Oscillation, which is a large-scale change in atmospheric pressure linked to global weather shifts. Decades later, scientists combined this with ocean observations to explain El Niño and La Niña as part of the ENSO system. His work became foundational for forecasting droughts, floods, and other climate extremes.
Key Facts
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