health
El Niño forms in Pacific as experts say it will likely turbocharge extreme weather
Meteorologists in US predict it will be the strongest of century, while UN secretary-general calls it ‘urgent climate warning’
TL;DR
- El Niño has officially formed and could intensify to historic levels.
- US officials predict a 63% chance of it ranking among the largest El Niño events on record.
- El Niño affects global weather by altering jet streams and changing rain patterns, leading to more severe storms, increased temperatures, and drought.
- Impacts vary by region, including stormier weather in the US South, increased flooding, and changes in marine life migratory patterns.
- It can increase hurricane activity in the Pacific while dampening it in the Atlantic.
- Drought-stricken regions like the Middle East might benefit, while parts of South America, India, Australia, and North-eastern Africa face increased risks.
- El Niño could benefit US agriculture but may also lead to shocks in the global food supply for crops like maize and rice.
- Warmer temperatures caused by El Niño may dampen US economic growth.
- Scientists predict stronger El Niños as the world warms due to fossil fuel burning.
- The UK's Met office predicts more unsettled weather, including milder, wetter, and windier conditions.