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A uncanny blob of tender weewee that has seem in the western Pacific seems to be make this year ’s " strong " El Niño behave unexpectedly , reportsThe Washington Post .

The blob is locate in the west - central Pacific , near the International Dateline — a compass north - south boundary that separates two consecutive calendar dates — Paul Roundy , a prof of atmospherical science at the University of Albany , told the newspaper .

A map of the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean showing the difference from average sea temperature recorded in October 2023.

A weird blob of warm water has appeared in the western Pacific and could affect the weather across North America this winter.

El Niñousually trip warm in the eastern tropical Pacific , which in turn shapes atmospheric weather condition and weather pattern across North America and around the globe . While this twelvemonth ’s El Niño event comes as no surprise — expertswarned it could be a big onein May — the atmospheric answer " look nothing like other late strong El Niño events,“Todd Crawford , a meteorologist at the weather reckon consultancy Atmospheric G2,wrote on X , formerly known as Twitter , on Nov. 8 .

During typical El Niño year , tender water in the eastern tropical Pacific hot up the air above and cause it to rise . But that is n’t chance now , experts told the Washington Post , because gentle wind is rising in the western Pacific instead . Some of this aura may be blowing Orient and suppressing the rising apparent motion usually seen there , they said .

tie in : A impregnable El Niño is coming this winter . What does that mean ?

A satellite photo of the sun shining on the Pacific Ocean

Rising air create low atmospheric pressure conditions associate with exhibitor and electrical storm . The warm blob in the western Pacific is causing " more tropical rain to fall there , which in turn reduce the saturation of the rainfall farther east because the line that rebel in the west Pacific thunderstorms subsides back toward the surface farther east , dry the atmosphere , " Roundy said .

El Niño may be behaving abnormally this year because of lingering effects from arare " triple dip " of La Niña event — El Niño ’s chilly counterpart . La Niña grow a sustained cooling result around the equator and easterly tropical Pacific over the past three years and probably " has n’t all lave out , " Crawford order the Washington Post . High ocean temperature lead from human - causedclimate changemay also be to charge for the unusual heat in the western Pacific , according to the newsprint .

As we ’ve discussed extensively in our recent client reports and Webinars , while sea temperatures are suggestive of a strong El Nino event , the atmospherical response in the central / easterly tropical Pacific count nothing like other recent unassailable El Nino events . Here , you’re able to see … pic.twitter.com/grq94a1BD8November 8 , 2023

a satellite image of a hurricane cloud

Strong El Niño term could persist through the Northern Hemisphere winter and last until spring 2024 , the National Weather Service tell in itslatest advisory , with a 35 % opportunity the event could become " historically firm " from November to January . " Strong El Niño consequence increase the likelihood of El Niño - link climate anomalousness but do not necessarily compare to strong impacts , " spokesperson wrote in the advisory on Nov. 9 .

El Niño winter typically see masses of warm aura construction across Alaska , westerly Canada and the northerly U.S. , the Washington Post report . Cooler , bedwetter conditions usually hulk in the southern body politic .

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like conditions may still come up this winter , despite the strong blob ’s appearing , Roundy said . " This preventative of west Pacific heat is likely correct , " he articulate , tot up that a body of warm water forming to the east of the International Dateline may trigger off heavier rainfall there .

A GOES-East satellite image of the continental U.S. taken during the winter storm on Feb. 19.

A burst of westerly twist could also push warm water baby-sit on the blob ’s surface toward the eastern Pacific , Roundy noted . This would expose cooler layers of water underneath and " advance more normal unattackable El Niño signals to emerge this winter , " he suppose .

Two reconstructions showing the location of the north polar vortex over the Arctic on March 1, 2025 and over Northern Europe on March 20, 2025.

A portrait of a man in gloves and a hat bracing for the cold.

A photograph of rain falling on a road.

Belize lighthouse reef with a boat moored at Blue Hole - aerial view

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images showing auroras on Jupiter

An image of the Eagle Nebula, a cluster of young stars.

a reconstruction of an early reptile