El Niño

The weather forecast calls for possible local rain beginning tomorrow and continuing through the weekend, mainly inland. Climate scientists in the West say the high temperatures affecting Europe and Africa, alongside major rainstorms elsewhere, stem from the phenomenon known as El Niño.

Israel’s Meteorological Service has released a new study ahead of the coming winter season, finding that “climate shifts driven by the ‘El Niño’ phenomenon create a risk of more extreme weather during the Israeli winter.” The concern: unusually heavy rainfall and a greater chance of flooding in some parts of the country.

The World Meteorological Organization warns an unusually strong El Niño is likely to develop by midyear, accelerating global warming and unleashing extreme heat waves, severe storms, and droughts worldwide.