El Nino. Australian experts: weather anomaly is likely to occur in the southern hemisphere in the spring

The El Niño phenomenon occurs when the water surface temperature in the equatorial Pacific is above average. The trade winds, i.e. the wind blowing in the intertropical zone, which brings out the cool deep waters, then begin to weaken. El Niño is accompanied by extreme weather events such as fires, hurricanes, floods and droughts.

According to experts from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), the phenomenon is likely to occur in the spring in the southern hemisphere. Spring in these regions of the world lasts from September 1 to November 30.

Scientists at the U.S. government’s Climate Prediction Center reported in June that an El Nino in the northern hemisphere had arrived. According to the CPC, El Niño conditions will “progressively strengthen in the northern hemisphere through the winter of 2023-24.” Then, according to the Center, the peak of this phenomenon is expected.

>>> READ: El Niño can also rule the weather in winter

Meteorological agencies around the world use different criteria to determine the beginning of this weather anomaly. According to the US National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration (NOAA), an El Niño occurs when the surface water temperature in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean is 0.5 degrees Celsius above the previous month’s average, and this condition persists.

According to the guidelines used by the Australian Meteorological Office, the water temperature should be 0.8 degrees Celsius higher than the average in key areas of the eastern Pacific.

El Niño affects different regions of the world in different ways. When the Pacific Ocean is warmer, North and South America are at greater risk of heavy rainfall and severe hurricanes, and areas of Southeast Asia and Northern Australia are at greater risk of severe drought.