'Super El Niño' Expected This Year: Predicted to Be Strongest Since 1950

A "super El Niño," the strongest since 1950, is predicted to occur this year.

El Niño is a phenomenon where sea surface temperatures near the equator rise above average, causing significant changes in weather patterns and triggering heatwaves across the globe.

Citing a report released by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center on June 11 (local time), CNN reported that the El Niño phenomenon has already officially begun and is expected to develop into a super El Niño.

According to the report, there is a 63% probability that this El Niño will develop into a super El Niño, and it is projected to be one of the most powerful El Niño events since 1950.

The Climate Prediction Center also stated that there is a 100% probability that this year's El Niño will persist through the autumn, with a very high likelihood of it continuing into the winter.

To be classified as a super El Niño, sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific must be at least 2°C (36°F) above average.

The Climate Prediction Center analyzed that over the past few months, changes in wind patterns have caused a massive amount of abnormally warm water to shift from the western Pacific to the eastern tropical Pacific.

This warm water moved thousands of kilometers eastward at a depth of 600 to 1,000 feet (approximately 182 to 304 meters) below the surface and has begun to rise to the surface in waters near South America.

The Climate Prediction Center explained that similar phenomena were observed during past powerful El Niño events.

Super El Niño events occur relatively rarely.

The most recent super El Niño events occurred in 2015–2016, 1997–1998, and 1982–1983.

The Climate Prediction Center added that with the super El Niño compounding the already ongoing global warming, next year is expected to surpass the records of 2024 to become the hottest year in Earth's history.

(Photo: Yonhap News TV capture, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.