What is El Nino? It is an abnormal warming of surface ocean waters in the eastern tropical Pacific. It can have profound effects on weather patterns around the world. El Nino tends to happen every three to seven years. Climatologists now that world is facing an unfolding El Nino event. Many climate models are now predicting an El Nino stronger than 1997/8. What does this mean for the Pacific? Drought extreme drought and food Cyclones the cyclone season is likely to be – – shortages especialy in Samoa, Vanuatu, longer with more intense cyclones forming Tonga, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, over a area. An elevated likelihood of Marshall Islands, Fiji and PNG cyclones particularly in Niue, Samoa & Cook Island (east of Tonga). Rainfall less rain in Pacific, Diseases Increased risk of diseases – – plunging some countries into drought. More including diarrhoea, leptospirosis, typhoid rain in equatorial countries from June and vector borne diseases including dengue, – August 2015. If the El Nino is very severe, chikungunya and zika virus. rainfall may drop steeply from September onwards. For further information visit the OCHA website (United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs)
What is El Nino? It is an abnormal warming of surface ocean waters in the eastern tropical Pacific. It can have profound effects on weather patterns around the world. El Nino tends to happen every three to seven years. Climatologists now that world is facing an unfolding El Nino event. Many climate models are now predicting an El Nino stronger than 1997/8. What does this mean for the Pacific? Drought – extreme drought and food shortages especialy in Samoa, Vanuatu, Tonga, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Marshall Islands, Fiji and PNG Cyclones – the cyclone season is likely to be longer with more intense cyclones forming over a area. An elevated likelihood of cyclones particularly in Niue, Samoa & Cook Island (east of Tonga). Rainfall – less rain in Pacific, plunging some countries into drought. More rain in equatorial countries from June – August 2015. If the El Nino is very severe, rainfall may drop steeply from September onwards. Diseases – Increased risk of diseases including diarrhoea, leptospirosis, typhoid and vector borne diseases including dengue, chikungunya and zika virus. For further information visit the OCHA website (United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs)
nzmat-newsletter-december-2015_0.docx