"Even though the evidence is still early, this could be a very significant event in 2026 and lingering into 2027. Its function in the global earth system is to release heat from the deeper oceans that has been temporarily stored there. El Nino allows that subducted heat to be unearthed."
"If a strong El Nino does develop, it'll boost temperatures in 2026 a bit, but it will have a particularly large effect on temperatures in 2027 and put that year on track to probably be the warmest year on record after 2024."
"El Nino, which is a natural cyclic fluctuation, is just one driver of such record-breaking heat. Human-caused global warming from burning fossil fuels is the main reason that the planet is warming. Even without El Nino, last year was in the top three hottest years on record."
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecasts a 62% chance that El Niño will develop between June and August, potentially becoming a significant event extending into 2027. El Niño occurs when trade winds weaken, allowing warm ocean water to shift from the Eastern Pacific toward the Americas. This phenomenon releases stored heat from deeper oceans into the atmosphere, raising global temperatures. Strong El Niño patterns typically coincide with record-breaking heat years, as demonstrated in 2023 and 2024. If a strong El Niño develops, 2027 could become the warmest year on record after 2024. However, human-caused global warming from fossil fuel burning remains the primary driver of planetary warming, with El Niño serving as an additional natural amplifier.
Read at www.npr.org
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]