Brussels, April 20 (TASR) - The world could break a new average temperature record in 2023 or 2024, which would be supported by climate change and the expected return of the El Niño meteorological phenomenon, climatologists say. Climate models suggest that after three years of the La Nina weather pattern in the Pacific Ocean, which generally lowers global temperatures slightly, the world will experience a return to El Niño, its warmer counterpart, later this year. During El Niño, winds blowing west along the equator slow down and warm water is pushed east, creating warmer ocean surface temperatures. “El Niño is usually associated with record temperatures at the global level. Whether that happens in 2023 or 2024 remains to be seen, but I think it's more likely than not," said Carlo Buontempo, director of the EU's Copernicus climate change service. Climate models suggest a return to El Niño conditions in the late boreal summer and the possibility of a strong El Niño developing toward the end of the year, Buontempo said. The world's hottest year on record so far was 2016, which coincided with a strong El Niño – although climate change has fueled extreme temperatures even in years without the phenomenon. (Kate Abnett)