Scientists at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) believe there is a possibility of another El Niño phenomenon this year, even though this weather phenomenon usually reappears two to seven years after the previous one. According to experts, the so-called Super El Niño, which took place in 2015 and 2016, increased global temperatures to record figures and influenced the droughts that occurred in many parts of the world.
Ocean temperatures off the coast of Peru have increased by 1.5 °C above the average, which has generated a coastal version of El Niño which, scientists say, could become a larger event, though the odds are against it.
To have an official El Niño phenomenon, temperatures should be at least 0.5 degrees higher than average for three months in much of the equatorial Pacific.
"It's not very common, but there have been some cases in the past," said Dr. Rupa Kumar Kolli, of the WMO. "These neutral conditions will continue, at least during the first half of the year. We will know for sure if this Coastal Niño will develop into the usual Niño after the spring," he said.
Source: bbc.com