El Niño is back: UN warns of weather anomalies
This is reported by UNIAN, citing Al Jazeera.
The risk of El Niño is estimated at 90%
According to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), there is a 90% probability of an El Niño developing in the coming months. UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated that the world must treat these forecasts as a serious climate warning.
“The scientific data is clear: there is a 90% probability that El Niño will be approaching us in the coming months,” he emphasised.
How El Niño will affect the weather
El Niño is associated with an abnormal rise in sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern parts of the Pacific Ocean. The phenomenon usually occurs about once every few years and can last from 9 to 12 months. It affects not only ocean temperatures but also global atmospheric processes. El Niño may intensify:
- heavy rains and flooding in parts of North and South America;
- droughts in Australia, Indonesia, Central America and parts of South Asia;
- the risk of powerful hurricanes in the Pacific Ocean;
- large-scale forest fires due to heat and lack of rainfall.
What consequences are predicted
According to WMO estimates, the current El Niño could be at least moderate, but there is a possibility of a strong event developing. In Asia, hotter and drier weather is forecast, which could cause problems for agriculture. At the same time, increased rainfall is expected in some parts of the Americas. The last major El Niño was observed in 2015–2016 and affected weather conditions around the world.
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