On July 3, the average temperature around the world was 17.01 degrees, but it should be borne in mind that summer is only in the northern hemisphere, while winter rages in the south. The previous record was set just a few years ago, in August 2016: 16.92 degrees. So the first Monday of July was the hottest day in the world, and last month, June was the hottest month on record.
Severe weather phenomena and new record temperatures are expected in the coming period – quoted CNN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warning to governments effectively heralded the arrival of El Niño.
According to climate models, after a three-year La Niña pattern in the Pacific region that slightly moderated global temperature, it will be replaced by its warmer counterpart, El Niño.
the El Nino A natural periodic weather phenomenon related to the flow of sea water. It arrives at Christmas, referring to the birth of Jesus, which is why it got its name, which means boy in Spanish, and lasts from 9 to 12 months. little girl , La Niña The name was chosen solely because of its antithesis. The common result of both phenomena is a natural disaster.
During El Niño, winds blow westward along the equator. Warm water is pushed eastward, causing surface temperatures in the oceans to rise.
“The development of El Niño dramatically increases the potential for breaking temperature records and bringing extreme heat to many parts of the world and to the oceans,” said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.
warning sign
The WMO statement is “a signal to governments around the world to prepare to reduce impacts on our health, ecosystems and economies.”
To save lives, governments must set up early warning systems and prepare for more dangerous weather events for the rest of the year, Taalas said.
Due to the “double whammy” of a particularly strong and persistent El Niño and warming caused by the burning of fossil fuels, 2016 was the warmest year on record, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the United Nations agency for weather, climate and water resources — until this year.
The El Niño phenomenon that formed seven years ago only fueled human-caused global warming, and new heat records could be broken this year or next year at the latest. There is a 90% chance that El Niño will be mild but continue into the second half of 2023.
The El Niño Southern Oscillation, or ENSO as it’s officially called, actually has three distinct phases: warm, cool, or neutral. This is the strongest oscillation of the Earth’s climate system.
In some places there is a wave of rain, in others there is a drought
In addition to increased ocean warming, El Niño-related events are typically associated with increased precipitation in South America and the southern United States, as well as in the Horn of Africa and Central Asia. At the same time, severe droughts, heat waves and wildfires may occur over parts of Australia, Indonesia, southern Asia and the northern part of Central and South America.
El Niño causes dangerous tropical cyclones in the Pacific Ocean and massive bleaching of endangered coral reefs.
Rice farmers in India can weaken the monsoon, which “produces” the rains needed to replenish water supplies and grow crops.
A recently published report concluded that the economic growth of the United States may slow down this year due to cyclical weather events. StadyWhere, for example, the weather affects food prices and winter clothing sales. El Niño caused global economic losses of $5,700 billion in 1997-1998, and $4,100 billion five years later.
(Cover photo: David McNew/Getty Images)
