Maxx Dilley, Director Climate Prediction and
Adaptation Branch of WMO (World Meteorological
Organization), informs the media about WMO's El Nino
Update during a press conference, at the European
headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva,
Switzerland, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2015. ( (Salvatore Di
Nolfi/Keystone via AP)
GENEVA (AP) — The current El Nino weather
pattern may be on track to become one of the
strongest in more than half a century, experts
at the World Meteorological Organization said
Tuesday.
The El Nino event involves a shift in winds
in the Pacific Ocean along the equator every few
years, warming the water more than usual and
triggering a change in global weather patterns.
The Geneva-based U.N. body says ocean and
atmospheric conditions over the tropical Pacific
and most expert models and opinion point to a
strengthening of the El Nino in the second half
of 2015. This El Nino, the first since 1997-98,
follows the rapid melting of arctic sea ice and
snow cover in the northern hemisphere over the
last few years.
"This is a new planet. Will the two patterns
reinforce each other or cancel each other?" said
David Carlson, director of WMO's World Climate
Research program. "We have no precedent for this
situation."
A WMO statement Tuesday said models indicate
ocean temperatures in the east-central tropical
Pacific are likely to reach peaks that could
make this El Nino among the four strongest since
1950. Peak strength is expected between October
and January.
El Nino's impact this year on California is
one lingering question. The coast of California,
which has faced four years of drought, would
traditionally get a lot of rain from the El Nino
weather pattern, officials said.
WMO director of climate prediction Maxx
Dilley said farmers, rescue officials and
reservoir operators are among those bracing for
El Nino's impact.