The global community could experience intensified heat as El Niño conditions settle in. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center officially announced the arrival of El Niño, characterized by warmer sea temperatures, in early June.
The onset of El Niño increases the likelihood of extreme heat and record-breaking temperatures, according to Petteri Taalas, the secretary general of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The world has already been experiencing intense heat, with the unofficial record for the hottest day in 120,000 years being broken three times in the last week.
The worldwide average temperature last Thursday reached a new record of 63.01 degrees Fahrenheit, surpassing the previous records set in the days prior. This information comes from the University of Maine’s Climate Change Institute.
WMO’s director of climate services, Christopher Hewitt, highlighted in a recent report that the “exceptional warmth” in June and early July coincided with the emergence of El Niño conditions. This is expected to exacerbate the heat both on land and in the oceans, leading to more extreme temperatures and marine heatwaves.
Scientists are concerned as we move into uncharted territory with more records expected to fall as El Niño continues to develop. While 2024 was previously predicted to set heat records, the early start of El Niño this year could put 2023 in the running for that dubious distinction. This underscores the pressing problem of climate change and the urgency of mitigating global warming.