Brief
Super El Niño pushes Pacific sea temps 6.1 °F above normal, UNICEF warns of child risk
NOAA says the event has a 90% chance of being very strong and could become the strongest since 1950.
By Felo News Desk · Published
NOAA reported that sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific are 6.1 °F above normal, marking a record‑high El Niño this fall. The agency said there is a 90% chance of a very strong event this winter and a 75% chance it will surpass all El Niños since 1950.
What happened
Measurements for July‑September show the current El Niño anomaly is the second‑largest on record, even before accounting for global‑warming influences. NOAA’s index indicates the pattern is strengthening, and scientists expect it to raise global average temperatures enough to cause an estimated 451,000 excess‑heat deaths worldwide, according to the University of Chicago’s Climate Impacts Lab.
What the reports add
Abby Frazier, a climatologist at Clark University, said the term “super El Niño” fits the observed conditions. UNICEF’s analysis, released on Tuesday, estimates that more than 347 million children live in areas likely to experience either drier or wetter conditions because of the event.
What was said
“It feels like super El Niño is appropriate,” Frazier told NBC News. UNICEF executive director Catherine Russell said, “With over 347 million children living in areas expected to experience drier or wetter conditions because of El Niño, we must act now to protect communities and children.”
How it came about
The El Niño pattern forms when equatorial winds weaken, halting the upwelling of cold water in the eastern Pacific. Historically it drives higher global temperatures, marine heat waves on the U.S. West Coast, and altered rainfall patterns worldwide. The current surge follows a series of warm ocean phases that have already contributed to coastal erosion concerns in Southern California.
Key facts
- Pacific sea surface temperatures are 6.1 °F above normal (nbcnews.com)
- NOAA gives a 90% chance of a very strong El Niño this winter (nbcnews.com)
- UNICEF says over 347 million children could face drought or floods (nbcnews.com)
- University of Chicago estimates 451,000 excess‑heat deaths globally (nbcnews.com)
Sources
- [1] nbcnews.com — originally reported as “A ‘super’ El Niño sets an ocean temperature record as aid groups prepare for the worst”
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