By Zoila Palma: A powerful El Niño event is expected to have significant effects on weather patterns, water supplies, agriculture and economies around the world.
The phenomenon occurs when sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific become warmer than normal, disrupting ocean-atmosphere circulation and triggering changes in rainfall, temperatures and tropical cyclone activity across different regions.
El Niño is identified by sustained warming in the Niño 3.4 region of the central and eastern tropical Pacific, with sea surface temperatures at least 0.5 degrees Celsius above average, along with atmospheric changes consistent with the phenomenon. The warming is typically accompanied by weaker trade winds, allowing warm seawater to shift eastward across the Pacific.
Strong El Niño events have previously been associated with major changes in rainfall, including wetter conditions in parts of the southwestern United States and drier conditions in areas such as Indonesia and southern Africa.
Scientists and meteorologists sometimes use the informal term “Super El Niño” to describe exceptionally strong events.
Major El Niño episodes occurred in 1982–83, 1997–98, 2015–16 and 2023–24, although there is no universally accepted official classification for “Super El Niño.” Past exceptionally strong events have been linked to severe droughts and flooding, including devastating drought conditions in Indonesia and southern Africa, while other regions experienced unusually heavy rainfall and snowfall.
The current El Niño is developing unusually rapidly and could reach an exceptional level of strength.
NOAA has indicated a greater than 90% probability of a very strong event during the fall and winter of 2026–27, while forecasts suggest temperatures in the Niño 3.4 region could reach exceptionally high levels. Such conditions could affect fisheries, agriculture, water availability and seasonal weather patterns.
El Niño can also influence tropical cyclone activity, generally suppressing Atlantic hurricane activity while potentially increasing activity in parts of the Pacific.
The economic consequences of El Niño can also be substantial.
One study estimated that the 1997–98 El Niño was associated with approximately $5.7 trillion in global income losses over the following five years.
The post International News: Strong El Niño could bring major weather and economic impacts worldwide appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: A powerful El Niño event is expected to have significant effects on weather patterns, water supplies, agriculture and economies around the world. The phenomenon occurs when sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific become warmer than normal, disrupting ocean-atmosphere circulation and triggering changes in rainfall, temperatures and tropical cyclone activity across different
The post International News: Strong El Niño could bring major weather and economic impacts worldwide appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
