|
Post by gallito on Jan 25, 2016 13:36:07 GMT -5
Monday, January 25, 2016, 9:52 AM - Eyes are still on El Nino this month, as it gives more indications of having reached peak levels, however are new signs pointing towards a fresh surge in strength? As we reached the end of 2015, the most up-to-date look at the El Niño pattern in the equatorial Pacific Ocean showed that temperatures in the central equatorial Pacific - the "Niño 3.4 region" which scientists use to gauge the strength of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) - had reached their maximum in mid November, and were slowly cooling down. The latest look from NASA appears to support that conclusion. As they wrote on the NASA Earth Observatory website: If past events help predict future ones, then we have probably reached the peak of the 2015–2016 El Niño. Warmer-than-average waters in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean should start to cool off and shift westward. By summer, the tropical Pacific might be back in a neutral state or La Niña cooling could kick in, as it did after major El Niños of the past. However, although representations of the pattern usually focus on sea surface heights and temperatures, that is only because it is usually the easiest way to visualize what's happening. www.theweathernetwork.com/news/articles/el-nino-update-could-it-be-gaining-a-second-wind/62695/
|
|
|
Post by gallito on Jan 25, 2016 13:48:20 GMT -5
Colombia on Red AlertIn Colombia, meanwhile, environmental authorities decreed a week ago "red alert" in various departments of the country to high temperatures attributed to El Niño. The weather phenomenon caused drought in Colombia river, where historically low levels exceeded to the point of some tributaries dry from lack of water. Caldas, Antioquia, Huila, Cauca, Cesar, Sucre, Boyacá, Cundinamarca Bolivar and face different problems as a result of drought tributaries. Colombian Caribbean coast has presented a severe drought for over a year. This situation increases the thermoelectric generation based on fossil fuels, which in turn presses electricity rates. The most noticeable effect is reflected in the electricity sectors of South American countries by the lack of availability of water in reservoirs, which affects the ability for hydroelectric generation, the main source in Colombia, Brazil and Venezuela. They also have high levels of erosion and thus the generation of fire of large tracts of vegetation. The increase in temperature caused by the phenomenon also has a negative impact on various economic sectors such as agriculture, fishing, mining and industry. Agriculture, in particular, unlike other productive sectors, requires that the temperature is not altered to grow healthy crops while fisheries depend on a cold sea. The intensity of the phenomenon can also cause a reduction in the projected growth of gross domestic product (GDP) in Latin America in 2016. According to the NASA report, the drought caused by this phenomenon can affect crops if a rational use of water is not done. Tourism may also suffer a sharp slowdown in its growth rate due to bad weather. The situation caused a major wake-up call for the 21 Conference of the Parties (cop21) United Nations (UN) Climate Change to be held from November 30 to December 11, 2015 in the city of Paris, France. www.elcolombiano.com/medio-ambiente/nasa-dice-que-este-fenomeno-de-el-nino-puede-ser-el-mas-devastador-de-la-historia-YC3488274
|
|