(UEG - 2018) Global warming is intensifying El Nio weather As humans put more and more heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere, the Earth warms. And the warming is causing changes that might surprise us. Not only is the warming causing long-term trends in heat, sea level rise, ice loss, etc.; its also making our weather more variable. Its making otherwise natural cycles of weather more powerful. Perhaps the most important natural fluctuation in the Earths climate is the El Nio process. El Nio refers to a short-term period of warm ocean surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific, basically stretching from South America towards Australia. When an El Nio happens, that region is warmer than usual. If the counterpart La Nia occurs, the region is colder than usual. Often times, neither an El Nio or La Nia is present and the waters are a normal temperature. This would be called a neutral state. The ocean waters switch back and forth between El Nio and La Nia every few years. Not regularly, like a pendulum, but there is a pattern of oscillation. And regardless of which part of the cycle we are in (El Nio or La Nia), there are consequences for weather around the world. For instance, during an El Nio, we typically see cooler and wetter weather in the southern United States while it is hotter and drier in South America and Australia. Its really important to be able to predict El Nio/La Nia cycles in advance. Its also important to be able to understand how these cycles will change in a warming planet. El Nio cycles have been known for a long time. Their influence around the world has also been known for almost 100 years. Having observed the effects of El Nio for a century, scientists had the perspective to understand something might be changing. The relationship between regional climate and the El Nio/La Nia status in climate model simulations of the past and future. It was found an intensification of El Nio/La Nia impacts in a warmer climate, especially for land regions in North America and Australia. Changes between El Nio/La Nia in other areas, like South America, were less clear. The intensification of weather was more prevalent over land regions. And this conclusion can be extended to many other situations around the planet. Human pollution is making our Earths natural weather switch more strongly from one extreme to another. Its a weather whiplash that will continue to get worse as we add pollution to the atmosphere. Fortunately, every other country on the planet (with the exception of the US leadership) understands that climate change is an important issue and those countries are taking action. It isnt too late to change our trajectory toward a better future for all of us. But the time is running out. The Earth is giving us a little nudge by showing us, via todays intense weather, what tomorrow will be like if we dont take action quickly. Disponvel em: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-consensus-97-per-cent/2018/aug/29/global-warming-is-intensifying-el-nino-weather. Acesso em: 19 set. 2018. (Adaptado). Analisando-se aspectos lingusticos da lngua inglesa, presentes no texto, constata-se que
