El Niño, a climate pattern, is an extension of which of the following?

Correct option is C

The correct answer is: (c) Warm Equatorial Current
Explanation:
· El Niño is the abnormal warming of surface waters in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, resulting from the extension of the warm equatorial current.
· It significantly affects global weather, including the Indian monsoon.
Information Booster:
· Occurs every 2–7 years, lasting 9–12 months.
· Opposite phenomenon is La Niña, marked by cooling.
· It weakens trade winds, altering ocean-atmosphere circulation.
· Can cause droughts in India, Australia, and floods in South America.
· Monitored by IMD, NOAA, and World Meteorological Org.
· Part of the larger ENSO (El Niño–Southern Oscillation) cycle.
Additional Information:
· North Pacific Current: Temperate zone current, not equatorial.
· East Australian Current: Warm current in western South Pacific, unrelated to El Niño.
· Equatorial Counter Current: Present in Pacific, but not the direct cause of El Niño.