The weather term El Niño is Spanish for “Little Boy”. The easiest way to say it is “El-neen-yo”. Here’s an audio example to help you.

(play YouTube video below).

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The two major Pacific weather climate drivers are named El Niño (Little Boy) and La Niña (Little Girl).

It was South American fishermen who first noticed periods of unusually warm water in the Pacific Ocean in the 1600s. The full name they used was El Niño de Navidad, because El Niño typically peaks around December.

You can read more about El Niño and La Niña here from the NOAA organisation in the USA.

• WeatherWatch.co.nz