08/06/2023 16:13 (act. 08/06/2023 04:13 pm)
The El Niño weather phenomenon, which can lead to increased extreme weather, has begun, according to the US Climate and Oceanography Administration, NOAA. “El Niño conditions are present and are likely to gradually strengthen in the winter,” NOAA said on Thursday. The emergence of the climate phenomenon characterized by the warming of surface waters in the Pacific Ocean has been expected for some time.
El Niño occurs every two to seven years and can further increase global temperatures. The weather phenomenon generally leads to severe droughts in Australia, Indonesia and parts of South Asia, while causing heavier rainfall in some regions of Africa and South America, the southern United States and central Asia. El Niño last occurred in 2018 and 2019.
NOAA expert Michelle L’Heureux explained that climate change can amplify the effects of El Niño, but also mitigate some of them. The weather phenomenon could lead to new “temperature records” in areas where above-average temperatures already prevail.