Experts are saying that 2023 was the hottest year so far. See what they have to say about 2024.
El Nino is the reason behind higher global temperatures and it is likely to keep influencing weather patterns until at least April 2024. El Nino is an oceanic and atmospheric phenomenon. It is a band of warm water in the ocean that develops in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific.
Christopher Hewitt, WMO head of international climate services has expressed concerns on the potential for 2024 to break even more records. "The interesting and depressing question is what will happen in 2024? Will it be warmer than 2023? We don't know yet," told reuters.
NOAA suggests that there is a 99 per cent chance of 2024 being the top five warmest years ever recorded.
The activities of El Nina in the early month of 2024 raise the chances of this year recording extreme heat. However, there is always a probability of the climate shifting into a La Nina phase which can result in a cooler global temperature.
The director of Europe's Copernicus Climate Change Service, Carlo Buontempo noted that if the climate shifts to La Nina, it could prevent 2024 from becoming one of the warmest years.
Read: What is Perihelion Day? Here's everything you need to know about this phenomenon
Meanwhile, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology has issued an extreme heat alert for Western Australia as the El Nino condition can face immediate threats from the current conditions. Southern Africa can also witness potential dry spells and below-average rainfall.
Lark Walters, a decision support adviser for the Famine Early Warning System Network, warned of the dire consequences and told Reuters, "We're estimating over 20 million will need emergency food assistance."
(With inputs from Reuters)
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