El Niño heralds turbulent start to 2024

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The torrential rain that affected many regions around the globe over the last week of December is expected to be followed by further turbulence into January, as the El Niño weather pattern remains a major influence.

The naturally occurring phenomenon results in a warming of sea-surface temperatures in the Pacific, affecting wind flows and triggering both floods and drought.

Scientists believe its effects are exacerbated by climate change, with record temperatures in each month since June putting 2023 on track to be the warmest year on record.

In the UK, following on from last week’s Storm Gerrit, which battered northern areas, causing widespread flooding in Scotland and disruption throughout the nation, further warnings were issued as warm sea temperatures in the Atlantic fuel the jet stream and bring further rain and winds.

The powerful weather system could bring dangerous conditions to Scotland with heavy rains, strong gusts and snowfalls across higher grounds, the UK Met Office forecast on Friday.

Wet conditions have also affected large parts of the US west coast, with gale warnings and high waves expected along the coastal areas of California, Oregon and Washington states into the weekend.

The US east coast from South Carolina up through New York, Pennsylvania and Maine was not spared, suffering a powerful storm last week.

The national weather agency indicated that while New York would experience a dry New Year’s Eve, with average to above-average temperatures expected for most of the country, further wind and rain could be expected in the first week of January.

The US