It seems like these days there are two major hot topics brewing in the weather world.

First, there is the debate about global warming and whether or not it affects weather conditions.

And the second is El Nino and if it can cause abnormally warm weather during the winter.

No matter where you stand on these topics, one thing's for sure. El Nino and La Nina are major weather events that lead to major changes in weather patterns.

Mike McKee from the University of Central Florida defines these commonly used terms and explains how they influence your weather.

To view the video, click the play button in the video box to the right.