On June 8, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Observatory announced the official arrival of El Niño, estimating that “it is likely to cause new record high temperatures” in some regions of the planet.

According to an announcement by the World Meteorological Organization issued today, the probability that the phenomenon will continue during the second half of 2023 is 90%.

But, the good news is that its intensity is expected to be “at least moderated”.

The Agency’s scientists expect the El Niño phenomenon to be of “at least moderate intensity”. But its impact on global temperatures usually occurs during the year following its development and, therefore, will likely be felt during 2024.

“The advent of El Niño will greatly increase the likelihood of record temperatures and more extreme heat in many parts of the world and in the oceans.”the secretary general of the World Meteorological Organization, Peteri Taalas, emphasizes in the announcement.

“The declaration of an El Niño event by the World Meteorological Organization is a notice to governments around the world to prepare to limit the impact on our health, our ecosystems and our economies,” he states.

Petri Taalas emphasizes the importance of early warning systems and measures to predict extreme weather events associated with this important climate phenomenon “to save lives and livelihoods”.

What is El Niño?

The El Niño phenomenon develops on average every two to seven years and episodes last from nine to twelve months.

This is a natural climate phenomenon associated with increasing ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific.

The phenomenon develops on average every two to seven years and lasts about nine to twelve months. It is associated with increasing ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.

El Niño tends to cause an increase in rainfall in some areas of South America and the southern United States, the Horn of Africa, and central Asia. It can cause severe drought in Australia, Indonesia and some parts of South Asia and Central America.

During the arctic summer — the warm season in the Northern Hemisphere and cold in the Southern Hemisphere — the warming of surface waters caused by El Niño can also fuel cyclones in the eastern Pacific Ocean, while preventing them from forming. in the Atlantic Ocean, explains the World Meteorological Organization.