The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced on July 4 that temperatures are anticipated to surge across large parts of the world as the El Nino weather pattern reemerges in the tropical Pacific for the first time in seven years.
El Nino, characterized by elevated water surface temperatures in the eastern and central Pacific Ocean, is known to trigger extreme weather events, ranging from tropical cyclones to heavy rainfall and severe droughts.
Experts have already linked the hottest year on record, 2016, to a powerful El Nino, although they emphasize that climate change has been intensifying extreme temperatures even in the absence of this phenomenon.
The WMO suggests that the current record could soon be surpassed. In May, the organization stated that there is a strong likelihood that at least one of the next five years, as well as the entire five-year period, will be the warmest on record due to El Nino and anthropogenic global warming.
"It is challenging to predict whether it will happen this year or the next," said Wilfran Moufouma Okia, Head of Regional Climate Prediction Service at the WMO during a press briefing in Geneva. "What we do know is that over the next five years, we are likely to experience some of the warmest years ever recorded."
During El Nino, westward winds along the equator weaken, causing warm water to shift eastward and leading to elevated surface ocean temperatures.
This climate phenomenon typically occurs every two to seven years and can persist for nine to twelve months, according to the WMO. It is usually associated with heightened rainfall in parts of southern South America, the southern United States, the Horn of Africa, and Central Asia.
Historically, El Nino has resulted in severe droughts in Australia, Indonesia, regions of southern Asia, Central America, and northern South America.
El Nino climate patterns typically lead to weaker wind speeds and fluctuations in precipitation, which can lead to impacts on renewable sources of energy.
Reduced wind speeds could pose challenges for some facilities in generating electricity, leading to an increase in coal consumption worldwide. This could potentially hinder the green transition that many countries are currently undertaking.
(Writing by Alex Guo Editing by Emma Yang)
For any questions, please contact us by inquiry@fwenergy.com or +86-351-7219322.