Our Dynamic Planet: Pacific Ocean

	NORMAL YEAR	EL NIÑO YEAR
WIND	blows EAST to WEST	weaker, sometimes blows WEST to EAST
OCEAN	Sea Level HIGHER in the western Pacific (near Indonesia and Australia) LOWER in the eastern Pacific (near Peru and Ecuador) Temperature Near the Surface WARMER in the western Pacific (near Indonesia and Australia) COOLER in the eastern Pacific (near Peru and Ecuador)	Sea Level LOWER in the western Pacific (near Indonesia and Australia) HIGHER in the eastern Pacific (near Peru and Ecuador) Temperature Near the Surface WARMER in the eastern Pacific (near Peru and Ecuador); fish and wildlife populations change
CLOUDS	MORE rain clouds and floods in the western Pacific; lush forests FEWER rain clouds in the eastern Pacific	MORE rain clouds and floods in the eastern Pacific; frequent floods on coast of Peru LESS rain in the western Pacific (near Indonesia and Australia); drought and forest fires likely