A fresh study has found that when the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is in its positive mode, meaning warmer waters in the west and cooler near Indonesia, it can actually boost El Nino events into even more intense Super El Ninos.
Basically, changes in the Indian Ocean can set off wind patterns that make Pacific warming even stronger.
El Ninos tied to IOD sometimes
Researchers looked at big El Ninos from 1972, 1982, and 1997, all linked to positive IODs.
But they also noticed exceptions: for example, 2015's strong El Nino didn't follow the usual script, likely because of longer-term climate cycles.
The takeaway? The world's oceans are deeply connected, and these links could shape future weather and climate predictions.