80% chance of El Niño this summer; UN warns of extreme weather

Central News Agency, Geneva, June 2. The UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO), headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, stated today that there is an 80% chance of an El Niño phenomenon occurring between June and August, which will increase the risk of extreme weather events. El Niño is a natural climate phenomenon where warm ocean currents off the coast of Peru in the eastern Pacific cause changes in global wind, pressure, and rainfall patterns. It typically occurs every 2 to 7 years and lasts for 9 to 12 months. When it occurs, South America often experiences heavy rainfall, while Southeast Asia and Australia face droughts. The opposite phenomenon, where sea temperatures in the eastern Pacific drop, is known as La Niña. According to the WMO's latest seasonal report, the probability of El Niño occurring before November is nearly or exceeds 90%. WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo pointed out that the world must prepare for El Niño, as it could exacerbate droughts and heavy rainfall and increase the risk of heatwaves on land and in the ocean. The previous El Niño made 2023 the second-hottest year on record, and 2024 is expected to be the hottest, with temperatures approximately 1.55 degrees Celsius higher than the pre-industrial average of 1850-1900.