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From the deadly floods in Brazil and Australia to heavy snows in the eastern United States and western Europe, this winter's bizarre events have two likely explanations, say weather experts. |
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從巴西與澳洲致命的洪災到美國東部與西歐的大雪，氣象專家表示這個冬季的古怪現象有兩項可能的解釋。 |
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Tony Barnston, lead forecaster at Columbia University's International Research Institute for Climate and Society, blames a pair of phenomena -- La Nina and the North Atlantic Oscillation -- for the patterns we're experiencing. |
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東尼•邦斯頓是哥倫比亞大學國際氣候與社會研究院的首席預報員，他把我們遭遇的天氣型態歸咎於兩個現象──反聖嬰現象與北大西洋振盪。 |
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Though La Nina varies every time it arrives, it can be generally defined as a decline in water temperature in the eastern and central tropical Pacific Ocean. |
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The current La Nina began in July 2010, Barnston said, and will most likely continue through spring. |
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反聖嬰現象雖然每次造成的狀況都不一樣，大致上可以定義為熱帶太平洋東部與中部的水溫下降。邦斯頓說，這次的反聖嬰現象始於二○一○年七月，而且很可能會持續至整個春季。 |
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Typically, there is less rainfall in the tropical Pacific during La Nina. |
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A horseshoe pattern of warm water usually forms in the North Pacific, off the coast of Southeast Asia and the seas around Indonesia and Australia. |
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一般而言，在反聖嬰現象期間，熱帶太平洋的降雨量會減少。北太平洋通常會形成一個馬蹄形的溫水帶，位於東南亞外海與印尼及澳洲周圍的海域。 |
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During the current cycle, however, "the whole globe looks to be compensating," Barnston said. |
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He notes that it's difficult to determine if La Nina causes individual weather events. |
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不過，在目前這次週期裡，「全球似乎都出現了補償現象，」邦斯頓說。他指出，我們很難確認反聖嬰現象是不是個別氣象事件的肇因。 |
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While it's not unusual for Southeast Asia and Australia to experience warmer oceans and more rainfall during La Nina, this time around the area of influence extends farther west, impacting Sri Lanka and the southern tip of India, Barnston said. |
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東南亞與澳洲在反聖嬰現象期間出現海洋升溫以及降雨增加的情形雖然不罕見，這次的影響範圍卻更往西方擴展，影響了斯里蘭卡與印度南端，邦斯頓說。 |
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Though La Nina usually results in warmer temperatures in the United States, the Southeast in particular, the North Atlantic Oscillation is upstaging La Nina |
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反聖嬰現象雖然經常在美國造成氣溫上升，尤其是美國東南部，但北大西洋振盪卻壓過了反聖嬰現象的影響。 |
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Barnston explained that since November we have been in the "negative phase" of the North Atlantic Oscillation. |
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He said this means that air temperatures between the eastern U.S. and Europe will fall. |
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This causes the mercury to climb in places like northeast Canada, Greenland and Iceland, as the mercury drops on thermometers in the eastern U.S. |
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邦斯頓解釋道，我們自從十一月以來就進入了北大西洋振盪的「負面階段」。他說，這表示美國東部與歐洲之間的氣溫會下降。如此一來，加拿大東北部、格陵蘭與冰島的氣溫就會上升，同時美國東部氣溫下降。 |
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