The waters off the coast of Brazil between South America and East Africa have cooled to over 25 degrees Celsius, with temperatures rising to 30 degrees Celsius in March and April. In August, water temperatures in this part of the Mid-Atlantic usually remain around 25 degrees Celsius, but are currently 0.5-1.0 degrees below normal.
Why this happens, scientists cannot yet answer.
According to NOAA’s Michael McFadden, the team suggests that the current temperatures point to the possible occurrence of a natural phenomenon called the “Atlantic Niño,” similar to El Niño in the Pacific Ocean. McFadden’s colleague Dr. Franz Tuchen believes that if water temperatures in the Atlantic remain low for three months, this could change weather patterns in the future. “Decreased precipitation in the Sahel, increased precipitation in the Gulf of Guinea, and seasonal changes in the rainy season in northeastern South America are associated with Atlantic Niño events,” Tuchen wrote on his blog.
A similar phenomenon was observed in 2012 and 2013: in 2012, severe drought and flooding occurred in the Amazon region of northeastern Brazil, coinciding with unusually cold waters of the Atlantic; in 2013, the Atlantic Niño caused devastating floods in large areas of Brazil, including Rio de Janeiro.
Source: Ferra
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