GENEVA: The recent El Niño event, which reached its peak in December, ranks among the five most potent occurrences ever recorded, the United Nations said on Tuesday. The UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said in its most recent quarterly report that although El Niño is gradually decreasing, its effects are still anticipated to last in the upcoming months, intensifying the already high temperatures brought on by greenhouse gas emissions.
As a result, above-average temperatures are predicated across nearly all land areas from March to May, as highlighted by the WMO. El Niño, characterized by the significant warming of surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, typically exerts its greatest influence on global climate patterns in the year following its development, as is the case in 2024.
This naturally occurring climate phenomenon is often associated with heightened global temperatures, alongside drought in certain regions and increased rainfall in others. El Niño events typically occur every two to seven years, lasting approximately nine to 12 months before transitioning into its cooling counterpart, La Niña, with neutral conditions in between. —AFP/APP
