This phenomenon occurs as a large part of the Atlantic has recorded temperature records over the first seven months of 2024.
A cold drop in the ocean? The equatorial zone of the Atlantic, located along the African coasts, is cooling, as explained in an article published in the Climate.gov section of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), on Wednesday, August 14. « The Atlantic is cooling at a record speed and no one knows why, » summarizes the magazine New Scientist on Monday. « Since the beginning of June, the sea surface temperature in the central equatorial Atlantic is 0.5 to 1.0°C below average for this time of year, » explains Franz Philip Tuchen, a researcher at NOAA.
If these cold conditions persist until the end of August, a phenomenon known as the « Atlantic Niña » could emerge. » This phenomenon occurs while the Atlantic has been overheating since the beginning of the year: temperature records have been recorded over a vast part of the ocean between January and July 2024, as highlighted by NOAA. Between March 2023 and June 2024, the northern part experienced an unprecedented marine heatwave, fueled by human-induced climate change. A possible effect on rain or drought episodes The natural El Niño phenomenon in the Pacific, which has increased the rise in temperatures boosted by climate change, is expected to give way to La Niña,
which has the opposite effect of lowering air and water temperatures. On the Atlantic side, what’s surprising is the speed at which the transition between the two phenomena has occurred. « Never before has the eastern equatorial Atlantic switched so rapidly from one extreme event to another, » continues Franz Philip Tuchen. This temperature difference can impact rain or drought episodes. « The decrease in rainfall in the Sahel region, increased rainfall in the Gulf of Guinea, and seasonal shifts in the rainy season in northeastern South America have all been attributed to the Atlantic Niño and Niña phenomena, » lists the researcher, who intends to « keep an eye on upcoming events.
Source: francetvinfo
