El Niño Fuels Extreme Heat in the Pacific, Raising Fears of Droughts and Floods

Scientists have predicted that the nascent El Niño climate conditions in the Pacific Ocean will intensify during the year, with a remote potential of a record-breaking occurrence that will further amplify already oppressive temperatures worldwide.

How does El Niño brews around the ocean?

(Photo : CHUTTERSNAP/ via Unsplash)

El Niño is linked to warmer-than-average Pacific Ocean temperatures around the equator, particularly in the eastern Pacific waters near South America. Satellite data that enables scientists to detect water temperatures in the topmost layers of the ocean reveal that area has experienced a substantial warming in recent months, as per The Washington Post.

To identify El Niño, climate experts also examine wind patterns concurrently. When El Niño is absent, the Pacific trade winds usually push warm surface waters westward toward Asia. These winds diminish during El Niño.

Also Read: How Previous El Niños Revealed Crucial Information About Climate Change

El Niño causes heatwave with high record in Pacific

Report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa), a weak El Niño formed last month. El Niño is a recurring climatic occurrence where the circulation of the equatorial Pacific Ocean changes and temperatures rise, creating knock-on heat around the world, as per The Guardian.

This Niño will almost surely become stronger during the year, with an 81% possibility that it will reach its height with moderate to high intensity between November and January, according to Noaa, which took over a three-year period of its opposite condition, La Niña, which normally cools the planet.

Scientists have been closely monitoring the event as it develops because it is adding to the extra heat caused by human activities, particularly the combustion of fossil fuels.

Following a June that was among the hottest ever worldwide reported, early data indicates that last week was the hottest week ever reliably recorded.

Over 100 million Americans are currently facing heat advisories due to recent sweltering conditions felt in Texas and the southwest. In addition to the Arctic and parts of Europe, heatwaves have also affected China and India.

Noaa confirmed on Thursday that ocean surface temperatures remained at a high record for a third consecutive month in June, including marine heatwaves spanning the North Atlantic to the UK and endangering fragile coral reefs near Florida. The heat is not just on land.

Scientists caution that as the visible effects of the climate catastrophe continue to materialize, rising Niño is likely to continue pushing the world towards further record-breaking temperatures.

El Niño cost much in economy

The effects of El Niño on the world economy are likely to be negative. According to research published earlier this month in the journal Science, the one that occurred in 1997-1998-one of the most significant in history-caused $5.7 trillion in economic losses in nations all over the world, as per Vox.

In comparison to earlier projections of up to $96 billion, that is significantly more. As storms and floods intensified in its aftermath, it was also held accountable for the 23,000 deaths that resulted from it.

These consequences will likely become more pronounced as average temperatures rise. According to a Science study, El Niño events might cause $84 trillion in economic losses before the end of the century, regardless of whether every nation adhered to its current commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to halt climate change.

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