B. A shift in Trade Winds in the Pacific causes a large mass of warm water to replace cold water, bringing in a warm air mass, and warm weather.
Reason:
The climate changes we have talked about so far take place over long periods of time. But other things can cause the climate to change very quickly. One of the most interesting is the weather effect known as El Nino.
El Nino is a set of atmospheric and oceanic conditions that occur off the Pacific coast of South America. Normally the area has cool waters that flow from the southern polar region. But sometimes the trade winds shift and bring in warm waters from the western Pacific. The ocean may get many degrees warmer. The warm water heats the air. This causes unusual changes in the weather. El Niño can last several months to several years. If it occurs year after year it can have long-term effects on climate.
