"These winds, which blow from east to west under normal conditions, weaken during El Niño, allowing the warmer water in the western Pacific to move into the central and eastern regions." The blogs used to always confuse me when they talk of the Eastern Pacific... which is next to the California "West Coast". I finally got used to it... until I read your post. Are you confused too? Shouldn't you have said that"These winds, which blow from east to west under normal conditions, weaken during El Niño, allowing the warmer water in the 'EASTERN' Pacific to move into..." I know it is all backwards... when we talk about the wind blowing we use the North American continental perspective of 'east to west'. But when we talk about sea surface temperatures we use the oceans perspective (eastern pacific flowing into the western pacific). I think I am confusing myself again!