What are equatorial kelvin waves?

Equatorial Kelvin waves are like water waves that travel along the equator and help shape weather patterns.

Imagine you're playing in a long, straight pool with your friend. When you splash one end of the pool, a wave starts moving toward your friend, it can't go backward because there's a wall at the edge of the pool. That’s how equatorial Kelvin waves work, but instead of a pool, they travel along the equator in the ocean.

These waves move from west to east and stay close to the equator, just like how your wave stays near the edge of the pool. They’re guided by the warm water around the equator and the shape of Earth itself.

When these waves travel, they push up warm water from below, which makes the ocean surface higher. This change in height affects weather, it can help start a El Niño, like how your splash might make the water at your friend’s end go up and cause a bigger splash!

So next time you're splashing in the pool, remember: you're doing something similar to what happens in the ocean with equatorial Kelvin waves!