On World Food Day, October 16, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warned that an intensifying El Niño is causing major shifts in rainfall patterns, from drought to deluge. These shifts are affecting agriculture, fisheries and food production. The WMO said it has increased the climate information it provides to agriculture and other climate-sensitive sectors. This includes quarterly El Niño Updates and a monthly Global Seasonal Climate Outlook.
The WMO stressed that El Niño’s effects differ by region, and often within the same region and from one season to the next. In the Greater Horn of Africa, for example, the northern part had a rainfall deficit during the June-September season, with signs of stress on crops and pasture. Wetter-than-normal conditions are forecast for the equatorial and southern parts between October and December.
In California, the Department of Water Resources expects El Niño conditions this winter to be among the strongest on record. It is managing reservoirs so they have space for possible floods while storing as much water as possible in case of drought.