New Zealanders Warned to Prepare for Intensifying El Niño Conditions
New Zealand is bracing for the effects of an unprecedented El Niño event, which is expected to peak around November or December. The phenomenon, declared in July, is still strengthening and is projected to bring particularly dry conditions to the North Island, while the western and lower South Island may experience wetter-than-usual weather. Chris Brandolino, principal scientist at Earth Sciences New Zealand, warns that the dry conditions could persist beyond October, affecting water-reliant sectors such as agriculture. The event is part of a broader pattern of global climate changes, with similar heatwaves observed in Europe and the Northern Hemisphere.