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You've heard about climate change, you've probably heard of El Niño, but maybe you're more of a Madden-Julian Oscillation type. I picked the brains of scientists at Columbia University's International Research Institute for Climate and Society to pair ocean temperature patterns with disposition. Take the quiz to find out your type.

What Climate Phenomenon Are You Actually?

Pick the look that speaks to you.

Do you feel a lot of pressure in life?

Pick a drink.

A friend flakes out on your plans. How do you react?

How persistent are you?

What's your party style?

Do friends heed your advice?

Pick one.

You are ENSO! You are fairly predictable, though you've also been described as having a split personality, sometimes warm and sometimes cool. Your influence is far reaching. 
The El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) describes the natural year-to-year variations in the ocean and atmosphere in the tropical Pacific that lead to large-scale changes in sea-level pressures, sea-surface temperatures, precipitation and winds–not only in the tropics but across many other regions of the world. An El Niño state occurs when the central and eastern equatorial Pacific sea-surface temperatures are substantially warmer than usual. La Niña conditions (also part of the ENSO cycle) occur when the central and eastern equatorial Pacific waters are substantially cooler than usual.  
Areas near the tropical Pacific experience the most direct effects of ENSO, but El Niño and La Niña are such powerful forces that they can shift seasonal temperature and precipitation patterns around the globe. While scientists have shown that the occurrence of floods, droughts and other climate-related disasters is not statistically different among years with El Niño, neutral or La Niña conditions, such disasters may be more predictable, allowing people to take action and prepare for such events. Learn about the other phenomena and climate variability at http://bit.ly/clim-var.

El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO)

You are MJO! You're high energy, impulsive and active. You don't like to be in one place for long, and you don't hold grudges.   
The Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) is a convective wave (i.e. an area of clouds, winds and rains) that propagates around the world, always from west to east and originating in the eastern Indian Ocean.   
MJO has two phases, one which produces enhanced convection and one which suppresses convection. So, as MJO moves around the globe, it brings with it both heavier rainfall and periods of dry weather, returning to its origination point after 30-60 days. The tropics see the strongest effects, but MJO’s influence can extend to higher latitudes as well.  
Learn about the other phenomena and climate variability at http://bit.ly/clim-var.

Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO)

You're AMO! You've got a pretty stable personality - it takes quite a bit to get you to change your mind and habits. You're wise and have lots of experience, so friends tend to come to you when they've got a major decision on their hands.   
The Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) is a mode of variability defined by sea surface temperatures in the North Atlantic. It is a longer-term source of variability, with only a few shifts between its warm and cool phases in the 20th century. Scientists have linked it to temperature and rainfall patterns in North America and Europe, as well as Brazil, the Sahel and India. Research also shows that the AMO influences hurricane activity in the Atlantic.   
Learn about the other phenomena and climate variability at http://bit.ly/clim-var.

Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO)

You're NAO! The big thing in your life is pressure. It rules you. You're a little bit all over the place, but things always manage to come together in the end. 
The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is measured by air pressure. Low pressure generally resides over Greenland, while an area of high pressure camps out further south in the central North Atlantic. When NAO is in a positive phase, these areas of pressure are reinforced; the low pressure area is lower than its mean, and the high is higher. When NAO is in a negative phase, each area of pressure is weaker than normal. The NAO changes phase more frequently than many other climate oscillations, and it varies on timescales from days to decades to points in between. The positive phase usually results in more frequent and stronger winter storms tracking across the Atlantic, and thus warm and wet winters in Europe. The negative phase corresponds with more cold outbreaks in the eastern United States. These are just a few of NAO’s climate effects. Learn about the other phenomena and climate variability at http://bit.ly/clim-var.

North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO)

You're PDO! You're mysterious. You don't let your true feelings show until you know someone well, and even then people sometimes have a hard time understanding you. Once you're close with someone, however, you're pretty dependent on him or her.   
The Pacific Decadal Oscillation is defined by sea surface temperature anomalies in the higher, northern latitudes of the Pacific. PDO has a warm phase and cool phase, and each can persist for anywhere from 10-40 years. During the warm, or positive, phase, the northwest Pacific is relatively cooler and the eastern Pacific warmer. The inverse pattern appears during the cool, or negative, phase.   
The coastal northwestern portion of North America sees some of the strongest impacts of PDO, with generally more rainfall during a positive PDO phase and less during a negative phase. Influence on climate in other parts of North America, as well as Australia and India has been shown. Given its long phases and relatively recent discovery, scientists don’t know as much about the processes that give rise to these fluctuations compared to other climate variability sources. Areas of active research include its interaction with El Niño, role in the recent “global warming hiatus”, and connection to variability in the Atlantic Ocean.   

Learn about the other phenomena and climate variability at http://bit.ly/clim-var.

Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO)

You're climate change! It's okay, we know you don't mean to be. You're hot! And it's not your fault, it's the fault of all the other people around you. You stimulate intense debate and some may doubt your authenticity, but deep down you're genuine. In some ways you're very predictable, but in others very unpredictable. Although most people expect you to wreak havoc wherever you go, sometimes you're surprising helpful.   
Climate change refers to long-term trends of altered weather and climate patterns. Scientific consensus is that greenhouse gases are leading to warmer global temperatures and altered regional precipitation and temperature patterns. Climate change isn't the only phenomenon that influences weather and climate patterns, though. Learn about the other phenomena and climate variability at http://bit.ly/clim-var.

Climate Change

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What Climate Phenomenon Are You Actually?

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