Why is it so hot? El Niño contributing to these conditions
By Zoila Palma: A strengthening El Niño weather pattern may be contributing to hotter-than-normal conditions around the world, according to information released by NASA Science. The climate phenomenon, which is characterized by warmer-than-average ocean temperatures in parts of the equatorial Pacific Ocean, officially returned in June 2026 and continues to intensify. NASA scientists have been […] The post Why is it so hot? El Niño contributing to these conditions appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
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By Zoila Palma: A strengthening El Niño weather pattern may be contributing to hotter-than-normal conditions around the world, according to information released by NASA Science.
The climate phenomenon, which is characterized by warmer-than-average ocean temperatures in parts of the equatorial Pacific Ocean, officially returned in June 2026 and continues to intensify.
NASA scientists have been monitoring the event using data from the Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite, which detected elevated sea surface heights across the central and eastern Pacific.
Warmer ocean water expands and causes sea levels to rise, making sea surface height an important indicator of ocean temperatures. The findings support observations that El Niño conditions have been strengthening in recent months.
According to NASA, the warming trend began earlier this year when large masses of warm water, known as Kelvin waves, moved from the western Pacific toward the eastern Pacific. The process is linked to weakening trade winds, allowing heat to accumulate beneath the ocean’s surface and suppressing the cooler waters that normally rise along the Pacific coasts of the Americas.
Scientists say the 2026 El Niño is showing similarities to conditions observed in 1997, when one of the strongest El Niño events on record developed. While it remains unclear how strong the current event will become, NASA researchers note that additional warm Kelvin waves are approaching the eastern Pacific, suggesting the phenomenon is still intensifying.
The post Why is it so hot? El Niño contributing to these conditions appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
