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▲ File photo of El Nino (The photo above is not related to the contents of the article.)
Warnings have been issued that the El Nino developing in the Pacific Ocean is highly likely to be one of the strongest on record, which could make next year the hottest year in global history.
Adam Scaife, head of long-range forecasting at the UK Met Office, told the BBC on the 20th local time, "We have never seen such a strong El Nino signal."
He emphasized that if El Nino is combined with the effects of climate change driven by human activity, 2027 is likely to become the hottest year on record.
El Nino is a phenomenon where sea surface temperatures near the equator rise above normal, causing major changes in weather patterns. It occurs in cycles of about 2 to 7 years and lasts for a year.
When El Nino occurs, the trade winds blowing from east to west across the Pacific weaken or change direction, and warm seawater moves eastward.
During this process, heat from the ocean is released into the atmosphere, altering global temperatures and precipitation patterns.
El Nino has been cited as the cause of extreme weather events around the world.
Already, India is experiencing lower-than-normal rainfall despite being in its monsoon season, while in the Atlantic and Caribbean, hurricane activity has been relatively quiet as wind patterns shift, despite it being hurricane season.
The UK Met Office stated that sea surface temperatures are currently more than 2°C (36°F) above normal and projected that they could rise to 3°C (37°F) above normal in the second half of this year when El Nino peaks.
Some scientists also suggest that sea surface temperatures could rise by 4°C (39°F) above normal.
If sea surface temperatures rise as observed, this would be the strongest El Nino phenomenon since the 19th century.
Dr. Nick Dunstone of the UK Met Office predicted that next year could surpass 2024 to become the hottest year, explaining that an El Nino event that sets record winter high temperatures can lead to a rise in global average temperatures the following year.
(Photo: Yonhap News TV Capture, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.
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