813. Signs of El Nino

On July 4, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) declared that there were signs of El Niño conditions.

According to the WMO, which had indicated the possibility of an El Niño event in May, this is the first time in seven years that El Niño conditions have developed in the equatorial Pacific, and it predicts a 90% chance that this event will continue into the second half of 2023.

El Niño typically occurs every two to seven years and typically lasts nine to 12 months. The El Niño phenomenon itself is a natural phenomenon that causes an increase in sea surface temperatures near the equator in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. On the other hand, when El Niño occurs under anthropogenic climate change, there is concern that it may be accompanied by record high temperatures and abnormal weather patterns. Indeed, the record high temperatures of 2016 have been attributed to the combination of a very strong El Niño event and the "double whammy" of human-induced warming from greenhouse gases.

Following the declaration of El Niño, the WMO Secretary-General reportedly said that governments should prepare to minimize the impact of extreme weather on health, ecosystems and economies.

Contributor: IIYAMA Miyuki (Information Program)