Australia Warns of El Niño: 'Could Be Worst Since 1950'

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology announced on June 16 (local time) that an El Niño event has developed in the tropical Pacific, warning that it could intensify in the second half of this year and potentially become the most severe El Niño in over 70 years.

In a statement released that day, the bureau stated that sea surface temperatures in the region have exceeded the threshold for El Niño and that all atmospheric indicators are consistent with the phenomenon.

"Based on the warming in the central tropical Pacific, there is a high probability of a strong El Niño event," the bureau explained. "About half of the (climate) models predict that this El Niño could approach the highest levels observed since 1950."

El Niño is a phenomenon in which sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific rise above average, which increases the likelihood of droughts and heatwaves in regions such as Asia.

Previously, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center also stated in a recent report that there is a 63% chance that this year's El Niño will develop into a "super El Niño," forecasting it to be the strongest on record since 1950.

(Photo: Getty Images Korea)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.