After the severe outbreak of cold, now the heat is going to wreak havoc. Meteorologists predict that February 2024 is on track to break heat records.
This kind of situation is arising due to global warming and El Nino climate pattern. The rise in temperature has already reached unprecedented levels.
Especially the sea surface temperature has increased significantly. This situation has worried experts. Dr Joel Hirschi of the UK National Oceanography Centre, said: ‘The planet is warming rapidly and the temperature of the oceans, which are the largest reservoir of heat in the climate, is increasing.’
Berkeley earth scientist JK Hausfather said, ‘We may face record level heat in February this year. There are indications that temperatures could rise by about 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. This could also be the peak point of the impact of El Nino.
He said that the climate has now become quite irregular and is becoming difficult to predict. He said that at present there is a possibility of extreme temperatures. However, weather models also indicate some decline in global temperatures in the coming week.
Where was the heat felt in February?
Weather stations across the world have recorded an increase in temperatures till half of February. Especially in countries like Morocco and China, temperatures well above average were experienced.
Many countries, including South Africa, Saudi Arabia and Japan, reported increasing heat this month. However, temperatures are expected to drop over the equatorial Pacific in the coming days as the El Nino weather pattern weakens.
This may happen in late spring or late summer. Dr Joel Hirschi said, ‘Slowing, stopping or reversing the effects of warming is like changing a supertanker. Its results are not immediate. But the sooner we act, the easier it will be to avoid trouble.