“Is it only me or do you too feel scorching heat outside?”
“This summer heat is just unbearable.”
“It’s just April and still so hot. Can’t imagine May and June.”
Some expressions we are hearing now and then from everyone. What could be the reason? Global Warming, simple answer. Well, this time it is more concerning. You must have heard of the term Super El Niño and this is exactly what is making summer intolerable. This is alarming as it is also going to affect monsoons. It is predicted that we will be seeing a shift in the monsoon pattern, which we aren’t ready for. Let’s understand Super El Niño step by step.
Understanding Super El Niño:
Normal conditions:
To understand this, imagine the Pacific Ocean as a giant bathtub. On its right side (East) is South America and on its left side (West) is Asia & Australia. Normally, Winds blow from East to West over the Pacific Ocean. These strong winds are called Trade Winds. So, these warm trade winds take moisture with them and bring rainfall in Asia & Australia.
During El Niño:
These trade winds sometimes become weak and are unable to blow towards the West. The winds shift towards the Central and Eastern Pacific Ocean, making that part of the ocean surface warmer. These winds are referred to as Reverse trade winds. For this reason, Asia & Australia are unable to receive much rainfall.
Super El Niño:
When there is an increase in the temperature of the surface water of the Pacific Ocean by >2℃ then more and more warm water spreads Eastwards, and El Niño becomes Super El Niño. This brings heavy rainfall shift towards South America, leaving Asia & Australia with weaker monsoon and scorching summer.
What are the takeaways from this event? What are the possible ways to prevent such events from happening in future?
MBH/PS