Experiencing one of its coldest Decembers on record, China is anticipated to face the challenges of scorching heat and heightened extreme weather conditions next year, attributed to the El Niño weather phenomenon, according to a senior climate expert.
The country has undergone a temperature rollercoaster this year, ranging from some of the highest temperatures recorded since 1850 to a severe cold snap that gripped numerous regions for nearly two weeks earlier this month.
“2024 may be hotter and it could also be a year when extreme weather may become more frequent and powerful,” Zhou Bing, China’s National Climate Center chief expert, was quoted as saying in a report by state broadcaster CCTV.
During the recent summer, Beijing experienced unprecedented heat, and a remote township in the arid northwest of the country recorded a temperature of 52 degrees Celsius (126 Fahrenheit) in a single day – the highest ever recorded in China.
Additionally, typhoons brought record-breaking rainfall to northern China, leading to widespread flooding.
El Niño is a climate phenomenon that occurs at intervals of two to seven years, involving elevated temperatures in the Pacific waters near the equator.
This abnormal warming can result in significant consequences such as heavy rainfall, storms, or droughts in various regions across the globe.
The current El Niño, which commenced in June of this year, has established new global temperature highs.
Meteorologists anticipate that El Niño might diminish between April and June of the upcoming year.
However, given that the effects of El Niño take several months to manifest, there is a possibility of additional temperature records being broken in 2024.
