GENEVA, Oct 21 — The El Nino weather phenomenon could reach unprecedented intensity, with sea temperatures in the tropical Pacific potentially rising to record levels, the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said on Wednesday.
The German Press Agency (dpa) reported that WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo said in Switzerland that sea temperatures in the region have never been this high in the 40 years since records began.
According to climate models, Pacific temperatures could rise to 3.8°C above the long-term average, surpassing the previous record anomaly of around 3°C.
She added that an El Nino event is considered to have begun when sea surface temperatures rise at least 0.5°C above normal.
The naturally occurring weather phenomenon, which develops every few years, can trigger severe droughts or exceptionally heavy rainfall, depending on the region. Europe is generally less affected by its impacts.
