Back with you in February after a short break. Did you get bored? I was! I’ve gone ahead and concocted a few tasty articles for you, all the while watching the vagaries of the weather out the window. You know… the joys of working from home and not having to shovel snow off your car in the morning!
Speaking of the weather, are you finding it a little… off these days? Well, it’s not your imagination playing tricks on you, and if your grandmother tells you that “it wasn’t like that in my day”, you should know that in fact… it was!
It’s all because of El Niño!
How Does It Work?
This year, we’re treated to a visit from El Niño. For those unfamiliar with Spanish, it’s pronounced “èl ninyo” and means “the boy”. It’s a climatic phenomenon that turns the planet upside down every two to seven years, and has been doing so for some 130,000 years. And he’s got his hands full!
Usually, in the Pacific, winds blow from east to west, creating currents that push warm surface water towards Asia. This is why the water is normally warmer near Indonesia and colder near Peru. See how cold currents collide with South America and flow up the east coast.
But during El Niño, the winds take a vacation. Without them to push the warm water westwards, it stays put or moves back eastwards. The result? A large part of the Pacific warms up.
So far, so good, right?
What’s the Big Deal Then?
Imagine you take a large frying pan with a few centimetres of water in it (this also works with your pasta pot, but it’s less obvious) and you put only part of it on a lit burner. What happens? The water heats up everywhere, and eventually, the part that’s directly on the fire will boil, but the rest of the water won’t: it stays cooler. (This is a simulation, so don’t stick your fingers in to check – it stays hot!) That’s the norm. If you center the pan on the circle, all the water suddenly boils. Suddenly, there’s a lot more evaporation, and a cloud of steam can even form. This is El Niño at work.
The ocean doesn’t boil like the saucepan in our experiment, but a few degrees warmer is enough to cause more evaporation. And on an immense surface like the ocean, that’s a lot of evaporation! Remember the water cycle we learned in school? Water evaporates, forms clouds and falls as precipitation.
No snow at Christmas? Too much snow afterwards? That’s right: it’s all because of El Niño!
What’s With the Name
Peruvian fishermen noticed centuries ago that some years around Christmas, the water became warmer and the fish disappeared. They named this phenomenon El Niño (after the Infant Jesus) because of its appearance around Christmas.
It wasn’t until the 19th century that scientists began to understand the phenomenon. Sir Gilbert Walker, a British physicist, discovered that when atmospheric pressure was low in Australia, it was high in Peru, and vice versa. This pressure influences the movement of air masses (wind) in the Pacific Ocean. He didn’t know it yet, but this discovery, known as the Southern Oscillation, is the cause of El Niño.
It wasn’t until the 1960s that scientists made the connection between fishermen’s observations and atmospheric changes. Today, this complex phenomenon is even referred to as ENSO (El Niño-Southern Oscillation).
(Personally, I find “the little guy who stirs up the weather” more catchy than ENSO, but hey, you know, scientists…!)
El Niño and Precipitation: A Love-Hate Relationship
Scientists don’t understand all the impacts of the phenomenon (I’m giving you a very abbreviated version of the causes and effects), but we do know that precipitation zones are shifted. In our part of the world, El Niño tends to make winters warmer and drier than normal. Less snow means less insulation for the roots of our plants, and less water available in the spring when the snow melts.
On the other hand, spring can bring heavier-than-usual precipitation… including snow. After that, we generally have to prepare for a summer of global heatwaves… But not everywhere.
Huh?
Well, yes: if it’s warmer, the glaciers melt in the north and the Atlantic Ocean current flows down the coast with all that cold water, potentially giving Northeastern North America a cooler summer. Here’s another map of normal ocean currents. Look at the current flowing down Canada’s west coast:
Does your grandmother still insist that “things weren’t the same before”? Well, she’s not entirely wrong! Although the El Niño phenomenon is not new, we have observed that over the last few decades, the effects of temperature and precipitation have been more intense than before. We’re not talking about a HUGE difference, however: one or two degrees of global average. As humans, this is barely perceptible, but the effects are much more noticeable in nature…
What difference does it make in our backyard?
I’m getting there, gardeners! Science is all very well, but what does it mean for your tulips?
Many things can be affected by this little guy. Let me reassure you: nature is strong, accustomed to disasters and capricious weather cycles. If several changes can be observed, they are not all bad or harmful. Fishermen in Peru see fish deserting waters that have become too warm and lacking in nutrients, but Peruvian growers are enjoying their best years thanks to abundant rainfall. If your gardens are infested with bugs this summer, look on the positive side: if it’s not so hot, you won’t have to sweat so much to pick them up!
Here are a few examples of changes you might notice in your own home:
Squirrels Lose Their Bearings
Normally, these little bushy-tailed acrobats (and some birds like blue jays) hide provisions in anticipation of a long, cold winter. But with El Niño bringing milder temperatures, they’re finding it easier to find food over winter. The result? They forget or abandon some of their caches. These acorns and other seeds, instead of being dug up and eaten, will germinate in the spring.
Surprise: oak trees are now growing in your flower beds!
Your Perennials Stay Up Late
Normally, they gradually enter dormancy in autumn and remain dormant throughout the winter. But with El Niño and the first mild months of winter, dormancy is slow to set in, and plants remain hydrated, stretching out their season.
But then, one day it’s 0°C (32°F), the next it’s -40°C (-40°F)! If frost comes suddenly, plant cells can be damaged. Ever put a full bottle of water in the freezer? You know what I’m talking about… When the cold comes suddenly in January after a mild December, it can do a lot of damage.
Insects Party
Usually, our northern winters do some cleaning up: the intense cold kills many harmful and/or invasive insects, or forces them into deep hibernation. But with milder temperatures, more insects survive until spring. Some may even stay active longer and reproduce more. The result? More bugs in your homes, flies still active at Christmas, and a larger insect population in spring. Fingers crossed that predators will be more numerous too… Ready to take on new challenges in the garden?
What can we do to protect our little corner of greenery?
1. Keep Mulch in Place
A good mulch is like a survival blanket for your plants. It helps maintain a more stable temperature around the roots and conserves soil moisture. Don’t hesitate to add an extra layer if you see that protection is waning.
(Ever read that in another article? No kidding! Mulching is the ULTIMATE tool for the Laidback gardener, whatever the season).
Snow is like mulch. Don’t plow your flowerbeds, it’s THE best winter protection. If there’s a lot of it, it’s great!
2. Monitor Humidity
Even in winter, your plants need water. Take advantage of milder days to check that the soil isn’t too dry, especially around newly planted shrubs and perennials. If there’s snow, no problem! But if in March or April there’s no more snow, it’s not raining, and the soil is dry… Honestly, it’s hard to over-water plants that are in the ground, so when in doubt, water your plants (instead of watering your asphalt driveway!).
3. Plant Things!
Wind dries out and cools, especially bare earth. Protect your flowerbeds from the drying effects of winter winds by planting more plants! A flowerbed in the middle of a lawn will survive winters much better with a few shrubs around it. Choose native or very hardy varieties, and opt for diversity.
Bear in mind, too, that just because your plant has survived ONE winter doesn’t mean it will survive EVERY winter. With El Niño, lack of snow, extreme temperatures, you know…! So don’t complicate things and use plants that already survive our winters well.
In short, while you’re waiting for things to get back to normal, take this as an opportunity to observe nature’s adaptations. Don’t worry: if plants and animals have survived millions of years of evolution, they surely have a few tricks up their sleeves!
A thoughtful article- so many people freak out about variations in weather because they have not observed the same area for more than a couple of years. Nature is resilient ( within bounds).