Pacific Ocean water temperature has been at record levels for 150 days

In the central equatorial part of the Pacific Ocean, where the El Niño phenomenon is measured, water temperatures have been at record highs for 150 consecutive days. The unusual warming of the ocean is causing heavy rainfall, flooding, and landslides in the western part of South America. This was reported by The Washington Post.

According to the publication, the average water temperature in this region has reached 30.2 degrees, and in some places, it has risen to 31.6 degrees. The previous record was observed in 2015, when it reached 29.8 degrees.

The impact of El Niño is being felt particularly in Peru and Ecuador. Abraham Levy, head of a meteorological consulting company in Peru, stated that these two countries are preparing for one of the strongest El Niño events in modern history.

In the Ecuadorian city of Guayaquil, nearly 50.8 centimeters of rain fell throughout October. However, the average rainfall for this month in this region is only 0.5 centimeters. This is nearly 100 times higher than the usual figure.

Additionally, heavy rains in the Ecuadorian capital, Quito, led to flooding last week. In Santiago, the capital of Chile, torrential rains caused destructive flash floods and landslides.

Near the coast of Peru, ocean water temperatures are being recorded at up to 9.4 degrees above normal. Experts warn that the situation could worsen with the onset of the rainy season in the country.

The El Niño phenomenon is also expected to affect winter weather in the USA. According to forecasts, storms may intensify on the country's west and east coasts, with flooding possible in California and higher-than-normal rainfall expected in Florida.

As a reminder, El Niño is a climate phenomenon associated with the periodic warming of the sea surface temperature in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. It affects processes between the ocean and the atmosphere, which can cause rainfall, drought, and temperature changes in various regions of the world.