How do I simulate an El Niño year?

Open this page and use the live Atmospheric Stability tool below — set your inputs and the simulation runs instantly in your browser using real numerics. No install, no account needed.

Yes. The simulation runs free in your browser. A one-time unlock or a Pro plan adds advanced parameters, saved presets, data import, and clean exports.

Can I use my own numbers?

Absolutely — every input is adjustable, and with data import you can drive an El Niño year from your own measurements.

Use case · powered by Atmospheric Stability

Atmospheric Stability for an El Niño year

Simulate an El Niño year live in your browser. This runs the real Atmospheric Stability solver — adjust the inputs, watch it respond instantly, and export the result. No install, no account.

For:Students Researchers Educators Engineers Hobbyists & Makers K-12 Students First Responders

Atmospheric Stability (CAPE)Live

will storms fire?

Controls

Presets

Surface temperature (°C)

Environmental lapse (°C/km)

Parcel lapse (°C/km)

When a rising air parcel stays warmer than its surroundings, it keeps accelerating upward — the fuel for thunderstorms. The pink area between the parcel and environment curves is CAPE, the convective available potential energy. Large CAPE means tall, violent storms; a stable profile suppresses them. This is the core of severe-weather forecasting.

▶ Run in Python

Data Inspector

CAPE (approx)18150 J/kg

Forecastsevere storms

Lapse rate7.5 °C/km

Governing equation

CAPE = \int_{0}^{z_{t}} g \frac{T _{p} - T _{e}}{T _{e}} d z, T_{p} - T_{e} = (7.5 - 5.0) z \Rightarrow 18150 J/kg

Reading this result: Steep environmental lapse (7.5 °C/km) keeps the parcel far warmer than its surroundings all the way up — huge CAPE fuels tall, violent updrafts.

Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.

or unlock everything with Pro →

About this simulation

The full Atmospheric Stability tool models an El Niño year with the same numerics engineers and scientists use — running entirely client-side. Change any parameter and the result updates in real time, so you can build intuition, check a design, or teach the concept without spreadsheets or installs.

More you can do with Atmospheric Stability

Atmospheric Stability for a thunderstorm Atmospheric Stability for a hurricane track Atmospheric Stability for a tornado Atmospheric Stability for a heat wave Atmospheric Stability for a cold front Atmospheric Stability for a sea breeze Atmospheric Stability for a flash flood Atmospheric Stability for a snowstorm

Other ways to simulate an El Niño year

Coriolis Effect for an El Niño year Hurricane Model for an El Niño year Wind Chill & Heat Index for an El Niño year Psychrometrics for an El Niño year Geostrophic Wind for an El Niño year Rossby Waves for an El Niño year

Frequently asked questions

How do I simulate an El Niño year?: Open this page and use the live Atmospheric Stability tool below — set your inputs and the simulation runs instantly in your browser using real numerics. No install, no account needed.
Is it free?: Yes. The simulation runs free in your browser. A one-time unlock or a Pro plan adds advanced parameters, saved presets, data import, and clean exports.
Can I use my own numbers?: Absolutely — every input is adjustable, and with data import you can drive an El Niño year from your own measurements.