“2024 Nears Record-Breaking Status Threatening to Surpass 2023 as Hottest Year Yet“

Delhi Temperature Hits Highest Ever In India, 52.3 Celsius. New findings from Copernicus, the European Union’s climate monitoring service, reveal a striking trend: 11 consecutive months of record-high global temperatures. According to Copernicus, last month surpassed previous April averages by 1.58 degrees Celsius in pre-industrial times and 0.67 degrees compared to the period between 1991 and 2020.

Unprecedented levels of global warming, predominantly fueled by human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels, are exacerbating environmental concerns worldwide. This phenomenon is further compounded by the impact of El Niño events on oceanic and atmospheric conditions.

Under normal circumstances in the Pacific Ocean, trade winds propel warm water westward along the equator from South America to Asia. However, the occurrence of El Niño and its counterpart La Niña disrupts this natural balance, collectively known as the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle. These climatic events, which vary irregularly in frequency from every two to seven years, exert significant influences on weather patterns, wildfires, ecosystems, and economies across the globe.

During El Niño occurrences, trade winds slacken, leading to the eastward surge of warm water towards the west coast of the Americas. Conversely, La Niña intensifies trade winds, redirecting warm water flow towards Asia. This alteration in oceanic dynamics has far-reaching consequences, with El Niño typically inducing drier and warmer conditions in northern regions of the U.S. and Canada, while triggering increased rainfall and flooding along the U.S. Gulf Coast and Southeast.

Furthermore, El Niño disrupts marine ecosystems by disrupting or halting upwelling processes, resulting in decreased nutrient levels in surface waters. This disruption has cascading effects on marine life and fisheries, potentially leading to the migration of tropical species into colder waters.

In contrast, La Niña brings cold, nutrient-rich waters to the surface, modifying the jet stream and leading to droughts in the southern U.S. and heavy rainfall in the Pacific Northwest and Canada. Additionally, La Niña contributes to a more active hurricane season and promotes increased marine life off the Pacific coast, enticing species like squid and salmon into previously colder regions.

Source : Source : National Oceanic and atmospheric administration