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What are 'El Nino' and 'La Nina' all about?

Drainage system at Kwa Rhonda Estate in Nakuru city in September 2023. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

The El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a significant climate phenomenon that influences weather patterns across the tropics. Alternating irregularly between warm El Nino and cold La Nina phases, it brings about shifts in ocean surface temperature and disrupts wind and rainfall patterns.

While El Nino events usually last for a year, La Nina can persist for two consecutive years or even longer, leading to prolonged and aggregated impacts such as wildfires and flooding.

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