Express
Scientists are now certain the powerful El Nino warming of waters off the coast of South America which set in earlier this year will be the strongest for almost 20 years and will have catastrophic knock-on effects around the world including in Britain.
El Nino is still growing rapidly with a peak forecast around Christmas and latest data suggests it will match the two strongest El Ninos ever recorded in 1997/98 and 1982/83 threatening serious consequences for the UK.
El Nino, which sees ocean temperatures in the eastern Pacific rise due to a change in wind direction, has been linked to colder than average winters in northern Europe.
However the almost unprecedented strength of the event now threatens to throw a spanner in the works next summer.
Scientists warn that rather than recovering to normal values after El Nino peaks this winter, ocean temperatures will make a dramatic swing in the other direction.
NOAA
University of Columbia
The so-called La Nina phenomenon will trigger a reversal of oceanographic conditions leading to a major cool down of the eastern Pacific.
Like its brother El Nino, La Nina - which means The Girl - can have major impacts on climatic conditions around the world.
In the tropics La Nina is linked to wetter than average conditions while in the United States the southeast and central plains are drier than normal with the northwest unusually cold.
In the UK, a particularly strong La Nina threatens to quash any hopes of a decent summer with cold and wet weather associated with the pattern.
Scientists say the exceptional strength of the current El Nino will trigger a’pendulum effect’ with an equally strong La Nina possible.
Dr Nick Klingaman, climate scientist from the Department of Meteorology at the University of Reading, said temperatures in the east Pacific are currently 2.5C above normal.
He said latest data suggests a maximum rise to 3C is likely to put the event among the three strongest on record.
Credit to Express.co.uk
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