El Niño officially arrives, ramping up fears of extreme weather

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) officially declared El Niño’s arrival on Thursday, citing above-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. Scientists warned the event is likely to strengthen, with a 63% chance of becoming a very strong El Niño between November and January—potentially ranking among the strongest recorded since 1950. El Niño alters global weather patterns, often bringing droughts to regions like the Amazon, Indonesia, and Australia, while disrupting monsoons in India and shifting rainfall across the tropics. The phenomenon also contributes to ocean heat release, which gradually raises atmospheric temperatures, exacerbating global warming driven by fossil fuel use. NOAA’s advisory noted that El Niño typically peaks late in the year, but its heat effects linger, pushing up temperatures in the following year. Europe’s Copernicus Climate Change Service echoed concerns, stating that a strong to record-breaking El Niño event is increasingly probable. Carlo Buontempo, director of the service, told AFP that the odds strongly favor a ‘moderate to strong, or probably strong to record-breaking’ event. The arrival of El Niño follows a period of heightened climate anxiety, as the world grapples with rising global temperatures and extreme weather events. Forecasters and scientists are closely monitoring its progression, warning of potential widespread impacts on agriculture, water supplies, and ecosystems.