UN forecasts strongest El Niño in 40 years — RMF24
The El Niño phenomenon may reach a strength not seen over the past four decades. This was stated by Celeste Saulo, head of the UN meteorological agency, RMF24 reports.
Risk of heat, droughts and floods
El Niño is expected to bring heatwaves to certain regions and disrupt usual precipitation patterns. This could cause severe droughts in some parts of the world and floods in others.
Among the global consequences of the phenomenon are also a rise in the global average temperature, weather anomalies and an impact on the economy, including through changes in food prices. Climatologists began warning of a possible record-breaking El Niño as early as spring.
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What El Niño is
El Niño is the warm phase of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation, or ENSO, cycle. It is associated with a sustained increase in sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean.
Under normal conditions, trade winds move warm surface waters westward across the Pacific Ocean, toward Asia and Australia. During El Niño, these winds weaken or change direction, and warm water moves eastward toward the coast of South America. This prevents the upwelling of cold, nutrient-rich waters off the coasts of Peru and Ecuador.
In South America, the consequences of the phenomenon may include heavy rainfall, flooding and problems in the fishing industry due to a decrease in plankton. In Southeast Asia and Australia, El Niño is associated with droughts, fires and water shortages.
