On June 8, 2023, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) officially declared the onset of El Niño conditions, warning that the event could become 'very strong' by late fall or winter. The agency noted a 63% chance that sea surface temperatures in the Niño-3.4 region would exceed 2.0°C above average, which would classify it as a 'very strong' El Niño.
El Niño is a climate pattern characterized by warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. It can influence global weather patterns, often leading to increased rainfall in some regions and droughts in others.
NOAA's Climate Prediction Center stated that the event is expected to continue through the Northern Hemisphere winter, with a 90% probability of persisting into early 2024. The last 'very strong' El Niño occurred in 2015-2016.
