The most recent El Niño event, a recurring climate phenomenon characterized by the warming of ocean waters in the eastern Pacific, has officially ended.
This particular El Niño is estimated to have been the fourth most powerful on record, significantly intensifying the ongoing climate crisis.
Its effects have been felt worldwide, contributing to record-breaking global temperatures, as well as extreme weather events such as heatwaves, droughts, excessive rainfall, and severe flooding.
While it is well known that El Niño events have a profound impact on oceanic and atmospheric circulation patterns, scientists are now investigating whether these events also influence the electrical charge in the atmosphere.
Citizen scientists assist in digitizing weather data, uncovering El Niño’s influence on global thunderstorms.To explore this potential link, researchers at the University of Reading in Berkshire are examining atmospheric electricity measurements collected between 1925 and 1984 at a weather station in Lerwick, Shetland, Scotland.
Although Lerwick is over 5,000 miles (8,000 km) away from the epicenter of El Niño activity, preliminary data suggests that the strength of the atmospheric electric field in Lerwick is indeed affected by El Niño events. These changes may be linked to alterations in global thunderstorm activity.
However, to confirm this connection, researchers first need to digitize the historical records, which were meticulously handwritten.
To accomplish this, they have launched a citizen science project on Zooniverse, inviting members of the public to help in this effort.
By better understanding the relationship between El Niño and thunderstorm activity, scientists hope to improve predictions of extreme weather associated with El Niño years, ultimately enhancing global preparedness for these potentially devastating events.