By Zoila Palma: A strengthening El Niño could develop into one of the most powerful events on record, according to an updated forecast released by scientists at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center on August 13.
Forecasters say there is now a greater than 90 percent chance that El Niño will become a “very strong” event during the fall and winter of 2026-27.
The forecast also places the likelihood at 69 percent that the event could reach historic strength, potentially exceeding previous El Niño events recorded since 1950. Sea-surface temperatures in the eastern equatorial Pacific are already more than 3.6 degrees above average, with scientists expecting the warming to continue through the end of 2026.
El Niño is a natural climate pattern characterized by unusually warm ocean temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific. The phenomenon can influence weather patterns around the globe, contributing to increased hurricane activity in the Pacific, reduced activity in the Atlantic, shifts in rainfall and drought patterns, and higher global temperatures.
Scientists caution, however, that even a very strong El Niño does not guarantee specific weather impacts in every region.
Current conditions are already being associated with drier-than-average conditions in parts of Central America, Indonesia, India and the Horn of Africa, while wetter conditions have been observed in parts of Chile. In the United States, El Niño winters typically bring wetter conditions to the southern states and warmer-than-average temperatures across much of the country.
The post International News: New El Niño forecast warns of potential ‘Historic Event’ appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Zoila Palma: A strengthening El Niño could develop into one of the most powerful events on record, according to an updated forecast released by scientists at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center on August 13. Forecasters say there is now a greater than 90 percent chance that El Niño will
The post International News: New El Niño forecast warns of potential ‘Historic Event’ appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
