Countries around the world are preparing for extreme weather conditions due to the El Niño phenomenon. The phenomenon, which is a natural climate pattern that warms waters in the Pacific, can cause tropical cyclones and increased rainfall and flood risks around the globe. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) declared an El Niño on 8 June. The last strong El Niño, in 2016, resulted in the warmest year on record. This year’s El Niño, combined with climate change, could see record-breaking temperatures. Experts are also concerned that even before El Niño began, the average global sea surface temperature was already 0.1C higher than any other on record, which could cause a supercharging of extreme weather conditions. The El Niño could also lead to global economic losses of up to $3tn, according to Science magazine.
Governments in countries seen as particularly vulnerable to El Niño impact are taking steps to prepare for the phenomenon. Peru has set aside $1.06bn to address both the impacts of El Niño and of climate change. The Philippines, which is at risk from cyclones, has formed a special government team ready to respond to the expected El Niño fallout.
El Niño is caused by unusually warm waters in the eastern Pacific. The climate cycle occurs when trade winds blowing from east to west across the equatorial Pacific slow down or reverse due to changes in air pressure. Warm western Pacific waters flow back to the colder central and eastern Pacific basins as a result of the weakened winds.
