Lima Peru. April 25, 2024. The 2023-2024 Coastal El Niño was the most intense in the last two decades and the Global El Niño was among the five strongest recorded since 1950. All countries in the region were affected with warmer than normal days and nights.
These were the conclusions of meteorology and hydrology specialists gathered at the XXIII Regional Climate Outlook Forum for Western South America organized by the National Meteorology and Hydrology Service of Peru – SENAMHI and the International Center for Research on the El Niño Phenomenon – CIIFEN.
During the inauguration of the event, the executive president of SENAMHI, Gabriela Rosas, said that spaces like this allow the exchange of experiences on the climate service provided in the face of the adverse atmospheric conditions generated by the El Niño Phenomenon in the countries of Western South America. In addition, she stressed the importance of providing timely climate information for decision-making in the face of extreme hydrometeorological events.
The Climate Forum made it possible to visualize the significant changes that are being expressed by climate variability phenomena such as El Niño 2023-2024, with heat waves, droughts, floods, rainfall anomalies, reduction of normal rainy seasons and extension of dry periods . “Scientists have also found new challenges for the use of subseasonal prediction as a connector between the study of weather and climate, as well as the socialization of this information in a timely manner to decision makers,” indicated the International Director of CIIFEN, Yolanda González.
El Niño 2023-2024 and its impact on the region
In Peru, the El Niño phenomenon was characterized by being very hot and rainy on the coast. The winter has been the warmest in the last sixty years and the presence of Cyclone Yaku impacted with intense rains on the western slope of the Cordillera, mainly on the northern and central coast.
In Venezuela, higher than normal temperatures and rainfall deficits were recorded in much of the national territory.
In Colombia, temperatures reached records in different parts of the country, the presence of forest fires in urban and rural areas stands out,
In Ecuador, high temperatures occurred especially in the island and coastal regions. On the other hand, the rainy season was extended in the first year of El Niño, for three more months, which had not happened since El Niño 1997-1998. However, in the eastern part the precipitation deficit still continues.
Bolivia experienced hot spots and the rainy season was delayed three months, with the Oriente and Chaco areas affected. Since July, higher than normal temperatures have occurred, accentuating threats associated with the presence of forest fires.
In Chile, the impacts of El Niño showed a recovery in rainfall, reaching normal conditions; however, they are still in the context of the great drought that has been recorded for around 14 years. In addition, maximum temperatures broke records in the northern part.
Among the conclusions, the need to strengthen drought monitoring in South America stands out, as well as the forecast verification methodologies of the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS). On the other hand, the climate perspectives for the next three months were evaluated, and the vision of users from different sectors such as health, risk management, humanitarian aid and water resources management on the importance of climate information was also taken into account. timely.
At the moment, the possibility of the evolution of a new La Niña event is being visualized for the third quarter of 2024, which could lead to impacts opposite to those mentioned above, that is, where more rains were recorded due to El Niño, could register less rain due to La Niña, for which you are invited to consult the official national products of the NMHSs of each country and the products and bulletins of CIIFEN.
This event, held in Lima-Peru from April 23 to 25, had the participation of specialists from the national meteorological and hydrological services of Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Chile, and also technicians from other national and local institutions. , such as INOCAR and SEGURA-EP of Ecuador, the coordinator of the ENFEN Committee of Peru, and representatives of the MINSA, ANA, NGO Save the Children, INDECI and CENEPRED of Peru.
This event was held within the framework of the ENANDES Project with financing from the Adaptation Fund and implemented by the World Meteorological Organization.
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