El Niño has arrived – with consequences

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El Niño has arrived – with consequences

Posted 08/06/2023

The El Niño meteorological phenomenon, with consequences for the entire planet by causing extreme weather events, has begun, confirmed the US Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

It is characterized by the warming of the surface of the equatorial eastern Pacific Ocean and occurs every 2 to 7 years on average.

"Depending on its strength, El Niño can cause a variety of impacts, including increasing the risk of heavy rainfall and drought in some parts of the world," said NOAA climatologist Michelle L'Heureux, and it could also cause record temperatures.

In May, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) predicted that the period 2023-2027 would be the hottest ever recorded on Earth, under the combined effect of El Niño and global warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions.

In general, El Niño tends to moderate hurricane activity in the Atlantic, but favors it in the Pacific, according to NOAA.

Australia warned this week that El Niño will increase temperatures in a country already vulnerable to wildfires, while the influence of the phenomenon in the US is weak during the summer, but more pronounced from late autumn to spring, says the NOAA.

Past devastations
The National Geographic magazine highlights the most famous episodes of the El Niño phenomenon. During El Niños episodes of the past, the deluges have been so strong that entire villages have slid down the slopes of mountains. Between 1972 and 1973, ocean temperatures soared off the Peruvian coast, nearly wiping out the country's essential anchovy fishing industry. During the El Niño phenomenon of 1997-1998, the country suffered more than €3 billion worth of damage to buildings, agricultural land, and other infrastructure. And in 2016, coral bleached across the Pacific, floods ravaged South America, and drought-spurred fires ripped through Australia.

Episodes can last up to a year, although warming tends to be strongest during the Northern Hemisphere fall and winter months: In fact, that moment is the origin of the name: "El Niño" not only refers to the male child but also to the baby Jesus. Fishermen in South America, who have known and described the phenomenon for a long time, called it "El Niño" because some of its most important effects occur around Christmas, and the name stuck.

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Long Hot Summer ahead  as El Niño continues to strengthen

 Posted 19/10/2023

The National Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued an information bulletin on the progress in monitoring the El Niño phenomenon and warned that it has continued to strengthen and is expected to intensify in November.

They expect it to last until the month of May and recommend taking all the necessary measures to be able to carry out all operations that require water safely.

The director of the Office of Climate Change, Ligia Castro, explained that the main effect of the incidence of El Niño is the deficit of rain and therefore a prolonged drought. Meanwhile, La Niña causes an excess in the rainy season.

He explained that the incidence of the El Niño phenomenon, which is becoming stronger every time, is due to the acceleration of the climate crisis that is being experienced worldwide and the increase in temperatures in both the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean.

This increase in temperatures in the oceans alters marine circulation and also alters the circulation of winds in the atmosphere, which implies the precipitation deficit that has occurred.

We are going to have more dry days interspersed with rainy days,” said Castro.

Reforestation

On the other hand, he added that reforestation is the key to combating the effects of climate change and the incidence of the El Niño phenomenon in Panama. The lack of forests contributes to water reserves in lakes and rivers evaporating faster.

“The forest cover of Panama is the guarantee of having water security in the country.”

He stressed that forests are essential for the proper functioning of all the country's production sectors, and the type of species must be taken into account when reforesting.

To prevent the crisis due to lack of water that may occur in the coming months, the Office of Climate Change advocates reducing emissions and being more efficient in the use of water resources.

The National Authority of Public Services (ASEP ) carries out an important campaign to raise awareness about the use of the precious resource.

He also referred to the forecasts of the National Institute of Aqueducts and Sewers (Idaan) on sectorizing the use of water due to the increase in El Niño in the coming months and indicated that it is important that they have a contingency plan.

https://www.newsroompanama.com/news/long-hot-summer-ahead-as-el-nino-continues-to-strengthen