El Nino could be strongest in four decades, UN warns
GENEVA: El Nino is forecast to be the strongest since comparable records began four decades ago, the United Nations’ climate agency warned Thursday, with the UN chief saying the world was in the “danger zone of extreme weather.”
The United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned that the upcoming El Nino event could be the strongest in four decades, bringing extreme weather risks and impacts lasting through 2027. WMO chief Celeste Saulo stated that the world is in the "danger zone of extreme weather" as this phenomenon is near certain to persist through February.
El Nino, a naturally-occurring climate pattern, warms surface temperatures in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, leading to worldwide changes in winds, pressure, and rainfall. The 2023-24 El Nino contributed to 2024 being the warmest year on record, and scientists expect this record to be broken by the next El Nino. While El Nino is not caused by climate change, scientists believe it will exacerbate global warming and increase the frequency and severity of weather extremes.
The WMO urges disaster management authorities and climate-sensitive sectors to prepare for the potential severe impacts of this intense El Nino event, including increased risks of floods, droughts, and extreme heat.
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