The United Nations has warned that the El Niño weather phenomenon, which causes extreme heat around the world, may become active again and has called on all countries to take preventive measures. According to forecasts, there is an 80 percent probability that this natural phenomenon will begin during the summer months and could lead to global temperatures reaching record levels.

  Commenting on the issue for AZERTAC, Head of the Caspian Sea Geography Laboratory at the Institute of Geography, Doctor of Geographical Sciences Said Safarov, stated that if global temperatures are expected to rise by approximately 2 degrees Celsius, this process will not bypass Azerbaijan. According to him, the increase in temperature may be observed at slightly different levels across various regions of the country.

  “In some districts, air temperatures may exceed the expected norm by approximately 1.5 degrees or even more. A sharp rise in temperature could cause rapid melting of snow in the surrounding mountains, which, combined with intense precipitation, may increase the risk of floods and flash floods in certain areas. At the same time, if the warming persists for a prolonged period, it could also heighten the likelihood of drought,” the scientist noted.

   According to S. Safarov, a significant intensification of the El Niño phenomenon will also have an impact on the level of the Caspian Sea.

  “If this process continues, the phenomenon could cause the Caspian Sea level to rise slightly or slow down the ongoing process of water retreat to some extent. Our research shows that periods when the Caspian Sea level rises generally coincide with periods when El Niño occurs more frequently, whereas periods of declining sea levels correspond to increased activity of La Niña, the opposite phase of El Niño,” he emphasized.

 azertag.az