The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
"World should prepare for El Nino development, associated with increased heat and drought", says WMO
The El Niño weather pattern is likely to develop later this year and could contribute to rising global temperatures, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Wednesday at a news briefing at the United Nations in Geneva.
This would have the opposite impacts on weather and climate patterns in many regions of the world than the three-year period of La Niña that just ended and which often lowers global temperatures.
“The next few months from May to July, we have a 60% chance to enter into an El Niño phase. This likelihood will increase to 70% if we look at the period from July to August and even to 80% if we go past August. But of course, beyond, we can't say much,” said Wilfran Moufouma Okia, Head of WMO’s regional climate prediction services division. “Of course, this will change the weather and climate pattern worldwide.”
El Niño is a naturally occurring climate pattern associated with warming of the ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. It occurs on average every two to seven years, and episodes usually last nine to 12 months.
“The warmest year was 2016, according to our report. So, we are expecting in the coming two years to have a serious increase in the global temperature,” reported Mr. Okia.
According to WMO’s State of the Global Climate reports, 2016 is the warmest year on record because of the “double whammy” of a very powerful El Niño event and human-induced warming from greenhouse gases.
“We just had the eight warmest years on record and three of those were La Niña years. So, this just gives you an indication of the climate context we're in,” said Clare Nullis, WMO’s spokesperson, quoting WMO’s Secretary-General Prof. Petteri Taalas.
According to WMO’s Professor Taalas, the world should prepare for the development of El Niño, which is often associated with increased heat, drought or rainfall in different parts of the world. It might bring relief from the drought in the Horn of Africa and other La Niña- related impacts but could also trigger more extreme weather and climate events.
“The state of the ocean is the warmest and we are currently in the so-called neutral phase of the El Niño oscillation whereby basically we left the state of the La Niña, and we are moving toward a different state,” said WMO’s Wilfran Moufouma Okia.
El Niño and La Niña are major – but not the only - drivers of the Earth’s climate system.
-ends-
STORY: WMO- EL Niño update
TRT: 01’41”
SOURCE: UNTV CH
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/NATS
ASPECT RATIO: 16:9
RELEASE DATE: 03 May 2023
GENEVA, SWITZERLAND
SHOTLIST
- Wide shot of podium, speakers, conference room, Palais des Nations, Geneva
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Wilfran Moufouma Okia, Head of WMO regional climate prediction services division, World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “The next few months from May to July, we have a 60% chance to enter into an El Niño phase. This likelihood will increase to 70% if we look at the period from July to August and even to 80% if we go past August. But of course, beyond, we can't say much. That's where we are. Of course, this will change the weather and climate pattern worldwide.”
- Wide shot, laptop screen in foreground with podium, speakers and monitor in background, conference room, Palais des Nations
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Wilfran Moufouma Okia, Head of WMO regional climate prediction services division, World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “The warmest year was 2016, according to our report. So we are expecting in the coming two years to have a serious increase in the global temperature.”
- Wide shot: camera person, tripod
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH) Clare Nullis World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “We just had the eight warmest years on record and three of those were La Niña years. So this just gives you an indication of the climate context we're in.”
- Wide shot: podium and speakers, technicians in background
- SOUNDBITE (ENGLISH): Wilfran Moufouma Okia, Head of WMO regional climate prediction services division, World Meteorological Organization (WMO): “The state of the ocean is the warmest and we are currently in the so-called neutral phase of the El Niño oscillation whereby basically we left the state of the La Niña, and we are moving toward a different state.”
- Medium shot: speakers at podium, conference room
- Close up: camera
- Medium shot: journalist typing
- Wide shot: camera operator, podium
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Press Conferences | WFP , UNHCR , WHO , IOM , UNFPA
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the representatives and spokespersons of the United Nations Refugee Agency, the World Food Programme, the World Health Organization, the International Organization for Migration, and the United Nations Population Fund.
1
1
1
Edited News | WFP
In Sudan, deep concerns persist for the many tens of thousands of people believed to still be trapped in the city of El Fasher in the Darfur region, but UN aid agencies believe they may soon get access to the embattled city.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
Human rights are underfunded, under attack and undermined worldwide, but activism is still powerful, undeterred and mobilising, says UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk on Human Rights Day press conference
1
1
1
Press Conferences | OHCHR
Human Rights Day Press Conference by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UNICEF , UN WOMEN , UNHCR , UNFPA , UNDP , UNIS
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by the representatives and spokespersons of the United Nations Development Programme, the United Nations Refugee Agency, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Population Fund, and UN Women.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNICEF
Gaza newborns ‘scarred by war before first breath’ by preventable maternal malnutrition: UNICEF
Starving mothers in Gaza are giving birth to underweight or premature babies who die in intensive care units or struggle to survive as they endure acute malnutrition, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned on Tuesday.
1
1
Press Conferences | OCHA
Embargoed until Monday, December 8, at midnight (NY)/6:00am (Geneva)
Tom Fletcher, the Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, on funding requirements ahead of the release of the 2026 Global Humanitarian Overview
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Office spokesperson Seif Magango delivered the following remarks on Friday at the bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA
The humanitarian situation in northern Mozambique continues to deteriorate sharply as prolonged attacks by non-State armed groups in Nampula trigger one of the largest displacement surges of the year, the UN warned on Friday.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | UNESCO , OCHA , UNICEF , IFRC , FAO , OHCHR , IPU
Alessandra Vellucci, Director of the United Nations Information Service in Geneva, chaired a hybrid press briefing, which was attended by spokespersons and representatives of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the Food and Agricultural Organization, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Federation of the Red Cross and the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
1
1
1
Press Conferences | OHCHR
The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to announce findings on Burundi, Guatemala, Maldives, New Zealand, Sweden and Tunisia
1
1
Edited News | UNMAS
The deadly legacy of conflicts old and new from Gaza to Sudan and beyond continues to kill and maim civilians on a near-daily basis, mine action workers said on Wednesday, as they appealed for greater support for their lifesaving work in a context of deep funding cuts.