Ohio Assessment for Educators (OAE) Integrated Science (024) Practice Exam

Which phenomenon leads to unusually dry weather in southern Africa?

1. El Nino Effect

2. La Nina Effect

3. Geostrophic Balance

4. Wind Shear

The correct answer is: La Nina Effect

The phenomenon that leads to unusually dry weather in southern Africa is the El Niño Effect. During an El Niño event, the surface waters of the Pacific Ocean become warmer than average, which significantly impacts global weather patterns. In southern Africa, this warming affects the atmospheric circulation and can lead to changes in precipitation patterns, often resulting in below-average rainfall and drier conditions. While La Niña, which is characterized by cooler-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific, can influence weather patterns, its effects in southern Africa typically lead to wetter conditions rather than dry ones. Understanding the implications of different oceanic and atmospheric interactions, such as those seen in El Niño and La Niña phenomena, is crucial in predicting regional climate impacts.