What is the 'Godzilla' El Niño Phenomenon? The Origin of Its Name
The El Niño phenomenon has once again captured public attention following the emergence of the term ‘Godzilla’ El Niño, which is predicted to potentially affect weather conditions in various regions, including Indonesia. This term refers to an El Niño with very strong intensity that can trigger extreme climate changes.
The Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics (BMKG), through its scientific studies, explains that a major El Niño phenomenon can impact seasonal patterns and rainfall in Indonesia. So what exactly is the Godzilla El Niño and how does it affect Indonesia? Here is the explanation.
What is the Godzilla El Niño Phenomenon?
Quoting an article published by BMKG, El Niño is a phenomenon involving the warming of sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean beyond normal conditions. This phenomenon affects wind patterns, clouds, and rainfall in various parts of the world, including Indonesia.
In BMKG’s study, El Niño is part of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon, which has global impacts on the atmospheric system and weather. The warming of sea temperatures causes changes in atmospheric circulation, resulting in uneven rainfall distribution in several tropical regions.
The term ‘Godzilla’ El Niño is used to describe an El Niño with very great strength or a super El Niño, marked by high sea surface temperature anomalies and broader climate impacts compared to a regular El Niño. This term emerged after the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) mentioned the possibility of a combination of positive ENSO with positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD).
Origin of the Godzilla El Niño Name
The term ‘Godzilla’ was first introduced in 2015 by NASA scientist Bill Patzert. He used the word ‘Godzilla’ to describe the extraordinary magnitude of the El Niño’s power, one of the strongest since 1950.
In other words, it does not mean there is a new type of El Niño, but rather an El Niño that is feared to develop very large and bring widespread impacts, particularly drought, reduced water availability, agricultural disruptions, and pressure on food supplies.
Impacts of Godzilla El Niño in Indonesia
In general, El Niño has the potential to reduce rainfall in most regions of Indonesia, thereby triggering a longer and drier dry season.
The potential impacts include:
Reduced rainfall in many parts of Indonesia
Longer and drier dry season
Increased risk of drought
Potential for forest and land fires
Disruptions to the agricultural sector and water availability
These impacts have been observed in previous El Niño events, where some regions experienced drought, increased fire hotspots, and disruptions to agricultural production due to insufficient water supply.