厄尔尼诺是什么？太平洋的海水一变热，全世界的天气都跟着变

天气，有时候好，有时候不好。

The weather is sometimes good, sometimes bad.

今天，我们说一个和天气有关的名字。

Today, we'll talk about a name related to the weather.

这个名字，叫厄尔尼诺。

This name is El Niño.

很多人，都听过这个名字。

Many people have heard this name.

厄尔尼诺，和大海有关。

El Niño has to do with the ocean.

在一个很大的海里，海水会变热。

In a very big ocean, the sea water gets warm.

这个大海，叫太平洋。

This ocean is called the Pacific.

太平洋，是最大的海洋。

The Pacific is the largest ocean.

太平洋的海水，本来是冷的。

The Pacific's water is normally cold.

可是过几年，海水就会变热。

But every few years, the water gets warm.

海水一变热，天气也会跟着变。

When the sea water warms, the weather changes with it.

海水变热这种现象，就叫厄尔尼诺。

This phenomenon of warming sea water is called El Niño.

这个名字，是很久以前，秘鲁的渔民起的。

This name was given long ago by fishermen in Peru.

因为这种事，常常在圣诞节前后发生。

Because it often happens around Christmas.

所以他们用这个名字，来叫它。

So they used this name for it.

那么，厄尔尼诺来了，会怎么样呢？

So what happens when El Niño arrives?

最大的问题是，它会让很多地方的天气，变得很奇怪。

The biggest problem is it makes the weather in many places very strange.

有的地方，会下很多很多雨。

Some places get a lot of rain.

雨太多，就会有洪水。

Too much rain leads to floods.

比如美国的加州，冬天可能会下很多雨，发大水。

For example, California may get heavy rain and flooding in winter.

可是在另一些地方，会很久都不下雨。

But in other places, it won't rain for a long time.

不下雨，就会很干，庄稼也长不好。

Without rain, it gets dry, and crops don't grow well.

比如南美洲的一些地方，可能会很干很干。

For example, parts of South America may get very dry.

澳大利亚和东南亚的一些地方，也可能会又干又热。

Parts of Australia and Southeast Asia may get both dry and hot.

还有一件事很重要：厄尔尼诺会让整个地球，变得更热。

One more important thing: El Niño makes the whole Earth hotter.

现在的地球，本来就一年比一年热。

The Earth is already getting hotter year by year.

如果再加上厄尔尼诺，天气就会热上加热。

Add El Niño on top, and it gets hotter still.

科学家一直在看太平洋的海水。

Scientists have been watching the Pacific's water.

今年，他们发现，海水热得特别快。

This year, they found the water warming especially fast.

所以他们说，今年的厄尔尼诺，可能会非常强。

So they say this year's El Niño may be very strong.

它可能是几十年来，最强的一次。

It may be the strongest in decades.

这种很强的厄尔尼诺，也叫"超级厄尔尼诺"。

A very strong El Niño like this is also called a "super El Niño."

上一次这么强，还是很多年以前。

The last time it was this strong was many years ago.

如果今年真的这样，今年和明年，可能会是最热的一两年。

If it really happens this year, this year and next may be the hottest yet.

除了热，海边的水位，也会高一点。

Besides the heat, sea levels along the coast rise a bit.

海水一高，海边的城市，就更容易被水淹。

When the sea rises, coastal cities flood more easily.

不过，厄尔尼诺也不全是坏事。

Still, El Niño isn't all bad.

比如说，在有的地方，大西洋的台风会变少。

For instance, in some places, Atlantic hurricanes become fewer.

厄尔尼诺不是新东西，以前也来过很多次。

El Niño isn't new; it has come many times before.

但是科学家现在可以早一点知道它要来。

But scientists can now tell earlier that it's coming.

知道了，我们就可以早做准备。

Knowing that, we can prepare in advance.

比如，多存一点水，或者小心洪水。

For example, storing extra water, or watching out for floods.

你可能会觉得，这只是天气的事，和我没关系。

You might think this is just about weather and has nothing to do with you.

其实不是的。

Actually, that's not so.

天气一变，很多东西都会跟着变。

When the weather changes, many things change with it.

比如，有的吃的东西会变少，也会变贵。

For example, some foods become scarcer and more expensive.

所以，厄尔尼诺和我们每个人，都有关系。

So El Niño has to do with every one of us.

好，今天我们知道了厄尔尼诺是什么。

Okay, today we learned what El Niño is.

它就是太平洋的海水变热，让全世界的天气都跟着变。

It's the warming of the Pacific's water, which shifts weather all over the world.