During an El Niño year, tropical rains usually centered over Indonesia shift eastward, influencing atmospheric wind patterns world wide. Possible impacts include: a shifting of the jet stream, storm tracks and monsoons, producing unseasonable weather over many regions of the globe. During the El Niño event of 1982-1983, some of the abnormal weather patterns observed included:.

	Drought in Southern Africa, Southern India, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, Southern Peru, Western Bolivia, Mexico, Central America
	Heavy rain and flooding in Bolivia, Ecuador, Northern Peru, Cuba, U.S. Gulf States
	Hurricanes in Tahiti, Hawaii