Storm Ciarán and us . . .

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Opinion

Your Saturday report on the serious damage Storm Ciarán wreaked on the British Isles and Europe, and the mean sea-level pressure reading for England and Wales in November being the lowest ever, deeply concerns me.

I remind readers, we in the Pacific with opposite seasons have received a “Hang on to your hats New Zealand” warning, with fears of the most intense El Niño in history.

The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) has declared the official arrival of El Niño, which could cause dryness in the east and more rain in the west. A new report from Niwa shows that for the next three months, rainfall is likely to be below normal for the northeastern parts of the country. Temperatures are expected to be above average for the whole east coast.

The outlook also said there will be stronger-than-usual winds, especially more westerly winds that would likely lead to prolonged dry spells in the north and east of the country. Farmers have already been advised of the potential for drought and to be well prepared — to check feed supplies, animal numbers and water infrastructure, and to make decisions early.

All will be affected, not only farmers. Please be warned.

I add, please believe in the effects of climate change.

The ocean is warming, having long taken the brunt of the impacts of human-made global warming. As the planet’s greatest carbon sink, the ocean absorbs excess heat and energy released from rising greenhouse gas emissions trapped in the Earth’s system. Today, the ocean has absorbed about 90 percent of the heat generated by rising emissions.

As the excessive heat and energy warms the ocean, the change in temperature leads to unparalleled cascading effects, including ice melting, sea-level rise, marine heatwaves and ocean acidification.

These changes ultimately cause a lasting impact on marine biodiversity, and the lives and livelihoods of coastal communities and beyond — including around

680 million people living in low-lying coastal areas.

Please believe the science. The new normal is rapidly changing.

Bob Hughes