WMO Warns of Strong El Niño as Climate Crisis Intensifies
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has issued a warning that a very strong El Niño event may be imminent, with models indicating an unusually powerful occurrence. Wilfran Moufouma Okia, head of the WMO's climate prediction division, stated that the data points to a severe episode. El Niño, a climate phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean, influences global weather extremes such as droughts, heavy rainfall, and heatwaves, and its intensity is increasing due to global warming. The phenomenon was first documented in the 17th century by Peruvian fishermen, who noticed a periodic disappearance of fish stocks around Christmas, naming it "El Niño" (the Christ child). The current warning underscores the growing impact of climate change on these natural cycles.
Key facts
- WMO warns of a potentially very strong El Niño event.
- Wilfran Moufouma Okia leads the WMO's climate prediction division.
- El Niño affects global weather extremes including droughts, heavy rain, and heatwaves.
- Climate change is increasing the intensity of El Niño.
- El Niño was first described in the 17th century by Peruvian fishermen.
- The phenomenon occurs every three to five years around Christmas.
- The name 'El Niño' means 'the Christ child' in Spanish.
- The warning was published in the German newspaper 'der Freitag'.
Entities
Institutions
- World Meteorological Organization
- WMO
- der Freitag
Locations
- Pacific Ocean
- Peru