This local water warming is now known to be part of a very large and complex system of sea and air interacting. It is called the El Nino Southern Oscillation or ENSO for short. In most years it doesn't even occur, and in others, such as 1982, the effects are felt around the world with devastating impact. El Niño and La Niña events tend to alternate about every two years. However, the time from one event to the next can vary from one to ten years (it is usually three to seven years).

An ENSO event can reverse ocean currents and trade wind patterns, cause drought and wildfires in one part of the world, and bring torrential rains to other, usually dry, regions of the earth. The strength of this phenomenon varies greatly from year to year.

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