El Niño activated as Pacific Ocean warms; Pakistan faces risk of below-normal rainfall

Karachi: Rising temperatures in the Pacific Ocean have triggered the El Niño climate phenomenon, prompting Pakistan's national space agency, SUPARCO, to issue an El Niño alert.

According to SUPARCO, sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean are currently above normal, and this climatic pattern could significantly influence Pakistan's weather in the coming months.

The agency warned that this year's monsoon season and winter weather in Pakistan may be affected. El Niño is also expected to increase the risk of drought across parts of Southeast Asia, Australia, India, and Africa, while bringing above-average rainfall to parts of South America and East Africa.

SUPARCO stated that Pakistan could experience weaker-than-normal monsoon rains and warmer winter temperatures. It also cautioned that the likelihood of heatwaves during spring and summer may increase, with potential impacts on the country's agriculture and water resources.

What is El Niño?

El Niño is a naturally occurring climate phenomenon caused by warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. It influences global weather patterns, often resulting in drought in some regions and heavy rainfall or flooding in others.

During an El Niño event, rainfall typically decreases across Pakistan and neighboring countries. As Pakistan is an agriculture-based economy, below-average rainfall can adversely affect crop production, water availability, and overall agricultural output.