According to the American space agency NASA, the El Niño phenomenon is in full swing. This is confirmed by the observations of sea level height in the Pacific Ocean made by the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite. The measured data show that sea levels have risen in some parts of the equatorial Pacific.
“As ocean water warms, it increases in volume and causes sea levels to rise. Sea level is therefore a reliable indicator of ocean temperature. Higher-than-normal temperatures, and thus higher sea levels in some parts of the equatorial Pacific Ocean, are associated with the El Niño phenomenon,” said a NASA spokesperson.
The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) declared El Niño on June 11. NASA now reports that its latest measurements provide further evidence of this climate phenomenon. According to the agency far-reaching consequences can be expected. These may include wetter conditions in the southwestern United States, and drier conditions in the western Pacific, such as Indonesia and Australia.
At the same time, they revealed data from the satellite the so-called Kelvin waves, that is, large masses of warm water moving from the western part of the Pacific Ocean towards the east. NASA refers to them as one of the key signs of El Niño.
“They occur when the trade winds in the western equatorial Pacific weaken and temporarily reverse direction. Warm water accumulates in the east, deepening the warm surface water layer and limiting the outflow of cooler water that normally keeps waters along the Pacific coast of America cooler.” NASA reports.
According to the World Meteorological Organization, it can be expected in connection with El Niño above average temperatures in almost all parts of the world. According to forecasts, more significant warming could affect Europe, a large part of Asia, North America, North Africa and other regions. At the same time, El Niño is supposed to affect the distribution of precipitation in many parts of the planet.
