The
2014 World Cup begins on June 12, when Brazil plays Croatia in the
opening match. Reporters and editors for The Times will count down to
the start of the tournament each day with a short capsule of news and
interesting tidbits.
There
has been plenty of hand-wringing over the potentially scorching
conditions of Qatar’s World Cup in 2022, but heat-averse teams and fans
could have a more eminent concern: El Niño.
Scientists at the University of Reading in England reported last week
that there was a 60 percent chance of Niño conditions being in place by
July, which could make the latter stages of the World Cup a bit warmer.
“If
it does occur,” Nicholas Klingaman, a climate scientist at the
university, said in a news release, “it would increase the risk of
uncomfortably hot and dry conditions in Brazil during June and July,
especially in the southern and eastern parts of the country.”
This
is no big concern for the United States, which plays all of its
first-round games in the northern part of the country and will be
dealing with tropical conditions anyway, especially against Portugal in
the Amazon city Manaus.
But
the report caused some distress in England. The English, who start in
Manaus, will play their second and third group stage matches in the
southern part of Brazil, which could get a bit warmer.
“If
players and coaching staff were hoping for milder and more favorable
conditions for their remaining matches,” Klingaman said, referring to
Brazil, “it looks more likely that they could be disappointed.”
Klingaman
said Niño increases the average temperature in Rio de Janeiro in June
and July by about 1.6 degrees and reduces cloud cover.
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