WMO: El Nino is a universal phenomenon occurring in every two to seven years leaving a powerful impact on the climate during its reign. In India, El Nino is responsible for less rainfall and more heat. According to the WMO (World Meteorological Organisation), there is an 80% chance of El Nino forming between the months of June and August. This is more like a warning than just information because this event is considered to be a worrisome sight.
El Nino is a cyclical warming of sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean, which roughly lasts between nine and twelve months. The system disrupts global temperature and rainfall patterns and increases the risk of extreme weather. The El Nino effect is likely to affect India and will remain in the world until November, and the agency is 90% certain of the prediction. “The science is clear: El Niño is arriving on our doorstep in the coming months with 90% certainty. The world must treat it as the urgent climate warning it is,” UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a statement.
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Further adding to the seriousness, the UN representative said, “El Niño conditions will pour fuel on the fire of a warming world. Impacts will hit even harder, travel even farther, and cross borders with devastating speed. The only effective response is climate action equal to the crisis – ending the addiction to fossil fuels, accelerating the shift to renewables, protecting the most vulnerable, and delivering early warning systems for all.”
However, the seasonal monsoon between June and September will remain normal across the southwest regions, as predicted by the WMO on April 30th. To communicate the warning and emphasize the importance of preventive measures, WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said, “We need to prepare for a potentially strong El Niño event – which will exacerbate drought and heavy rainfall and increase the risk of heatwaves both on land and in the ocean. The most recent El Niño, in 2023-24, was one of the five strongest on record, and it played a role in the record global temperatures we saw in 2024.”
El Nino typically causes increased rainfall in regions like southern South America and parts of Central Asia, whereas, at the same time, it causes extreme heat in Central America, northern South America, and parts of Southern Asia.