Question

in an el niño year, trade winds are too weak to send warm currents west. instead, warm currents travel east into south america. what is the end result of this difference in an el niño year? (1 point)
areas see significant changes in temperature and levels of precipitation.
warm water pools toward the west.
equatorial winds are particularly strong.
areas of north america have a colder winter.

Explanation:

El Niño disrupts normal ocean - atmosphere interactions. When warm currents travel east (instead of west as in normal conditions), it affects weather patterns. Warmer water in different regions changes evaporation rates (affecting precipitation) and heat distribution (affecting temperature). Option 2 is incorrect as warm water pools east in El Niño. Option 3 is wrong because trade winds (a type of equatorial wind in this context) are weak in El Niño. Option 4 is incorrect as El Niño is more directly associated with temperature and precipitation changes in South - America and other regions (not specifically a colder winter in North America in a direct causal way as described in the question's context).

Answer:

Areas see significant changes in temperature and levels of precipitation.