(ECNS) -- A "super" El Niño event expected to be the strongest on record is forecast to peak around November, the China Meteorological Administration announced Monday.
Sea surface temperatures in the equatorial central and eastern Pacific have risen continuously since September, with the temperature anomaly index exceeding 3 degrees Celsius for the first time in recorded observation history.
The index is forecast to reach 3.2 to 3.5 degrees Celsius around November, well above the previous record of 2.8 degrees Celsius recorded during the 2014-2016 super El Niño event. The current warming rate and temperature index are significantly higher than those recorded during the same periods of the three previous super El Niño events in 1982-1983, 1997-1998 and 2014-2016.
The climate phenomenon is expected to impact weather patterns across China through spring and summer next year. From October to November, rainfall is forecast to exceed historical averages across central and eastern China, heightening the risk of extreme rain events and flooding.
Winter temperatures are expected to be above average, with more frequent cold waves and higher risks of rain and snow in southern China.
According to the National Climate Center, the event will likely weaken rapidly and end by spring or summer next year. However, its broader climate impacts are expected to persist, increasing the probability of severe weather and intense heat waves in 2027.
(By Helen Mo & intern Liu Shuangjing)
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