GENEVA, July 4 — Temperatures are expected to soar across swathes of the world as El Nino begins in the tropical Pacific for the first time in seven years, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said today.
El Nino, a warming of water surface temperatures in the eastern and central parts of the Pacific Ocean, is linked to extreme weather conditions, from tropical cyclones and heavy rain to severe drought.
“The onset of El Nino will greatly increase the likelihood of (new) temperature records and trigger more extreme heat in many parts of the world and the ocean,” WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas said in a statement.
WMO said there is a 90 per cent probability of El Nino persisting in the second half of 2023, and that it is expected to be “at least of moderate strength”.
The statement from the global body confirmed a report last month from the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center that the phenomenon had returned.
The world’s hottest year on record, 2016, coincided with a strong El Nino — though experts say climate change has fuelled extreme temperatures even in years without the phenomenon.
The World Health Organization said last month it was preparing for an increased spread of viral diseases such as dengue, Zika and chikungunya, linked to El Nino.
During El Nino, winds blowing west along the equator slow, and warm water is pushed east, creating warmer ocean surface temperatures.
The WMO said El Nino occurs on average every two to seven years, and can last nine to 12 months.
It is typically associated with increased rainfall in parts of southern South America, the southern United States, the Horn of Africa and Central Asia.
In the past, it has caused severe drought in Australia, Indonesia, parts of southern Asia, Central America and northern South America.
— Reuters
