Record-Breaking El Niño Surges as Global Heat and Extreme Weather Risks Rise – PotatoPro

Record-Breaking El Niño Surges as Global Heat and Extreme Weather Risks Rise  PotatoPro

El Niño has reached a record 3.05°C, surpassing the 2015 high. Scientists warn the powerful event could worsen heatwaves, droughts, floods, wildfires and food insecurity as global temperatures continue to rise. El Niño intensifies across the Pacific, amplifying extreme heat, drought, wildfires and flooding risks worldwide.(AI-generated illustration by PotatoPro) A powerful El Niño developing in the Pacific Ocean has already surpassed the previous temperature record for the phenomenon, raising concerns among climate scientists about potentially severe impacts around the world. The latest ocean temperature data shows temperatures in the central Pacific’s key El Niño region have reached 3.05°C above the 1991–2020 average, exceeding the previous record of 3.02°C recorded in November 2015.

The unprecedented reading has occurred months before the expected peak of the current El Niño. Climate scientist Zeke Hausfather described forecasts for the coming months as “mind-blowing”. An average of 14 climate models suggests temperatures could reach around 4°C in November and December, a level substantially beyond previous major El Niño events. El Niño is officially classified as an event when sea-surface temperatures in the relevant Pacific region rise at least 0.5°C above the long-term average. Events exceeding 2°C are considered “very strong”. Scientists say the current event is particularly concerning because it is developing against a much warmer global climate caused by human greenhouse-gas emissions.Prof Friederike Otto,