What is the natural phenomenon that involves minimal clouds and warmer ocean temperatures in the Eastern Pacific?

The correct answer is El Niño, which is a climate pattern that occurs in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean and is characterized by warmer-than-average ocean temperatures. During an El Niño event, the trade winds weaken, allowing warmer surface waters to accumulate along the coast of South America. This phenomenon leads to minimal cloud cover in the Eastern Pacific region because the warmer ocean temperature suppresses the formation of clouds associated with upwelling and cooling. Consequently, areas typically affected by deep ocean currents and cooler water experience changes in weather patterns, including reduced rainfall and warmer temperatures.

In contrast, La Niña involves cooler ocean temperatures and often results in different weather patterns, including increased precipitation in some regions. Monsoons are seasonal wind patterns associated with heavy rainfall, particularly in South Asia. An atmospheric river refers to a narrow corridor of concentrated moisture in the atmosphere that can cause heavy precipitation but is not directly related to ocean temperature in the same way that El Niño is.