Work

Effect of extreme El Niño events on the precipitation of Ecuador

Year: 2023

Type: article

Abstract: . Extreme El Niño events stand out not only for their powerful impacts but also because they are significantly different from other El Niños. In Ecuador, such events are accountable for impacting negatively the economy, infrastructure, and population. Spatial-temporal dynamics of precipitation anomalies from various types of extreme El Niño events are analyzed and compared. Results show that for Eastern Pacific and Coastal El Niño types, most precipitation extremes occur in the first half of the second year of the event. Any significant difference between events becomes more evident at this stage. Spatially, for any event, 50 % of all extreme anomalies occurred at elevations <150 m. Difference between events was significant when considering the altitude when reaching 80 % of all extreme anomalies: EP-EN 97/98 at 500 m, COA-EN 17 at 800 m, and EN 82/83 at 1000 m. Nevertheless, in some sectors of the Andean Cordillera, the ENSO signal could be detected at 3200–3900 m. Distance to coastline and steepness of relief may play determining role. At lowlands, anomalies are most severe in regions where seasonality index is the highest. These results are useful at different decision-making levels for identifying most appropriate practices reducing vulnerability from a potential increase in extreme El Niño frequency and intensity.

Source: Natural hazards and earth system sciences

DOI: 10.5194/nhess-23-1507-2023