Diminished perception of cold weather this season tied to El Niño phenomenon

The Al-Ajairi Scientific Center, in partnership with the Swiss organization “Metoblue,” has conducted an analysis aimed at comprehending the factors contributing to the heightened temperatures experienced during 2023 and the initial months of 2024, resulting in a diminished perception of cold weather this season.

Engineer Yousef Al-Ajiri, the Director General of the Center, elaborated in a press release that the current winter season has seen temperatures surpassing the annual average.

Al-Ajairi highlighted that, particularly in Al-Murabbaniyah, the cold percentage has been notably lower than usual. The average temperatures for the Al-Murabbaniyah season, spanning from December 7, 2023, to January 14, 2024, were identified as the highest compared to those recorded in the same timeframe over the past six years.

This year’s recorded temperature for the Murabbaniyah season stands at 17.16 degrees Celsius, marking an increase from the range of 14.81 to 15.39 degrees Celsius observed in the past six years, indicating a rise of approximately 1.77 degrees Celsius.

Al-Ajiri pointed out that weather experts involved in the analysis attribute the temperature surge this year to two primary factors. Firstly, the ongoing global climate changes, and secondly, the El Niño phenomenon, a natural occurrence associated with elevated temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, thereby influencing temperatures on a global scale.

Furthermore, Al-Ajairi mentioned that satellite images scrutinized by experts reveal a discernible impact of the El Niño phenomenon on the Arabian Gulf between the preceding summer and the current winter. The temperatures documented in the Arabian Gulf during this period surpassed the average.