El Nino, Spanish for "the child," got its name because it
appears around Christmas. It appears every four to six years and brings with it higher sea
surface temperatures along the equator. This year El Nino has been unusually strong. From
Indonesia to Vermont, El Nino has had an effect on almost every part of the world.
El Nino in the United States
In California El Nino brought rain which triggered mudslides and stranded motorists.
In Florida ten tornadoes were caused by El Nino. They led to over 43 deaths and 250 injuries.
In Vermont ice storms downed power lines and flooded many streets.