El Niño expected to last until at least April: United Nations

The El Niño climate phenomenon, which causes global temperatures to rise, is expected to continue until at least April 2024, the United Nations said on Wednesday.

The El Niño phenomenon is a naturally occurring weather pattern usually associated with increased heat around the world, as well as drought in some parts of the world and heavy rains elsewhere.

The current El Niño phenomenon, which developed rapidly during the period from July to August this year, is likely to peak between now and January, the United Nations World Meteorological Organization said.

“There is a 90% chance that it will last throughout the upcoming Northern Hemisphere winter/Southern Hemisphere summer,” it said in its latest update, adding that it is expected to last until at least April.

This climate phenomenon usually occurs every two to seven years, and usually leads to a rise in global temperatures in the year following its development.

But while most of El Niño’s impact is not expected to be felt until 2024, the World Meteorological Organization has highlighted that the phenomenon is occurring in the context of rapid climate change.

Right now, 2016 was the hottest year on record — the year following an exceptionally strong El Niño — but the world is already on track to beat that record.

The head of the World Meteorological Organization, Petteri Taalas, said in the statement: “As a result of the rise in land and sea surface temperatures to record levels since June, the year 2023 is now on track to be the warmest year on record,” warning that “next year may… It will be warmer.” “.

“This is clearly and unequivocally due to the contribution of increasing concentrations of global warming greenhouse gases caused by human activities,” he said.

“Extreme events such as heat waves, drought, forest fires, heavy rains and floods will worsen in some areas, with significant impacts,” he warned, stressing the importance of effective early warning systems.

El Niño last occurred in 2018-19, and was followed by an exceptionally long La Niña — the opposite of a cold El Niño — that ended earlier this year.

The World Meteorological Organization said that the latest forecasts for the impact of the current El Niño phenomenon indicate a high probability that temperatures will continue to rise in the central eastern tropical Pacific Ocean until next April.

Sea surface temperatures are also expected to be higher than normal in most of the world’s oceans, while temperatures are also expected to be higher than normal in almost all land areas.

Other impacts are likely to include above-normal rainfall in the Horn of Africa and the La Plata Basin in South America and southeastern North America, as well as in parts of central and eastern Asia.

Northern South America, most of Australia and the Pacific Islands are expected to see less rainfall, according to the forecast.

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