Scientists discover 'new El Nino' impacting southern hemisphere weather
What's the story
A new climate pattern, named the "Southern Hemisphere Circumpolar Wavenumber-4 Pattern," has been identified in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, near New Zealand and Australia.
This pattern can trigger temperature changes affecting the entire Southern Hemisphere.
Balaji Senapati, lead author of the study at the University of Reading, said: "This discovery is like finding a new switch in Earth's climate."
"It shows that a relatively small area of the ocean can have wide-reaching effects on global weather and climate patterns. "
Weather influence
Global impact of newly discovered climate pattern
The newly discovered climate pattern shares some characteristics with the El Nino phenomenon but originates in the mid-latitudes rather than the tropics.
Unlike El Nino, which is triggered by changes in wind patterns, this newly discovered Southern Hemisphere pattern appears to be initiated by ocean warming near New Zealand.
It influences temperature changes throughout the Southern Hemisphere, potentially influencing weather patterns in South America, Africa, and Australia.
Research methodology
Advanced climate models used in groundbreaking study
The research team simulated 300 years of climate conditions using advanced climate models.
These models combined atmospheric, oceanic, and sea-ice components to create a comprehensive representation of Earth's climate system.
Analysis of this simulated data led to the identification of a recurring pattern of sea surface temperature variations circling the Southern Hemisphere.