What's the Pacific Decadal Oscillation linked to Gujarat's heavy rains?

Days after Gujarat witnessed unusually intense rainfall, scientists have pointed to a large-scale climate phenomenon known as the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) as one of the factors that may have amplified the weather system. While no single event can be blamed solely on the PDO, experts say its interaction with the ongoing monsoon and other ocean-atmosphere patterns can influence rainfall distribution across several parts of the world, including India.The PDO is often compared with the better-known El Niño and La Niña because all three involve changes in Pacific Ocean temperatures. However, the PDO operates on a much longer timescale and influences climate over decades rather than months or a few years.Here are five important things you need to know about the Pacific Decadal Oscillation.1.