Which of these descriptions best describes El Niño? the cyclical warming of the Pacific Ocean near the equator the warm ocean current that crosses the northern Atlantic Ocean the name Latin American countries give to hurricane season the area of calm winds located near the equator

The answer is the first one. El Niño is an atmosphere cycle in the Pacific Ocean with a worldwide effect on climate designs. The cycle starts when warm water in the western tropical Pacific Ocean moves eastbound along the equator toward the shoreline of South America.

The cyclic warming of the Pacific Ocean near the equator. This current of warm water shifts towards the coast of South America as trade winds also weaken and ultimately reverse in direction creating a significant effect on weather patterns. El nino which in Spanish means 'Little boy' was discovered during the beginning of the 17th century by fishermen off the coast of South America. It occurs roughly every three to five years around the Christmas period.