In their pursuit of improved water conservation strategies along the Colorado River, scientists are now examining the influence of mountainous regions on how El Niño and La Niña events affect precipitation in the western part of North America.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has recently reported that the current El Niño event is likely to persist until at least April 2024. This phenomenon is expected to influence weather patterns

The accompanying map, created by the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), illustrates the anticipated influence of El Niño on key crops such as wheat, corn, rice, soybeans, and sorghum.

The Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is a critical annual climate phenomenon that alternates between the warm El Niño and cold La Niña phases, influencing sea surface temperatures and weather patterns across tropical regions.

The presence of the El Niño meteorological phenomenon is indisputable, as evidenced by the temperature anomalies observed in the Pacific Ocean.

A recent announcement from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), El Niño is likely to develop this summer, a recurring weather pattern that can cause widespread disruption of marine ecosystems and impact global weather events.

Previous El Niño events have been linked to floods, landslides, droughts, failed monsoons, and outbreaks of disease like cholera and dengue fever.

The return of the El Niño phenomenon this year would cause an increase in global temperatures "out of the normal" and unprecedented heat waves, warn a group of scientists.