El Niño is intensifying extreme weather around the world, prompting United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres to warn that the planet has entered a “danger zone of extreme weather”.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has published its latest climate data, indicating that this powerful El Niño event could continue until at least February 2027.
El Niño is disrupting weather patterns globally. Some regions are facing severe drought, while others are experiencing heavier rainfall, stronger typhoons and increased flooding risks.
Climate forecasters also expect El Niño to drive temperatures higher in several parts of the world, adding to the long-term warming caused by human-induced climate change.
“El Niño is becoming supersized right before our eyes. There is no scientific doubt. The Earth is in uncharted waters, and those waters are heating up,” Guterres said.
Governments and scientists are taking steps to reduce the risk of deaths, displacement and environmental damage linked to extreme weather. Early warning systems have improved, while pre-emptive medical support has been deployed. However, the strength of this El Niño event continues to raise serious concerns, particularly for vulnerable communities.
The United Nations weather agency has announced a “massive mobilization” to share forecasts and warnings about potential El Niño-related extreme weather with communities worldwide.
WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo warned that “El Niño has the potential to wreak havoc on communities and economies around the world.”
El Niño is a natural climate pattern that develops in the Pacific Ocean and is linked to changes in atmospheric circulation and wind patterns. During an El Niño event, warmer ocean water moves eastward and releases additional heat into the atmosphere.
Sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific have risen sharply in recent months, providing clear evidence that the current El Niño event is strengthening.
Temperatures in key Pacific monitoring regions have recently reached more than 2 degrees Celsius above average. This places the event on course to be classified as “very strong”.
Some forecasts indicate that monthly sea surface temperatures could rise to almost 4 degrees Celsius above average, exceeding current expectations.
If the forecasts are confirmed, this could become the strongest El Niño event recorded since at least 1950, with significant consequences for global temperatures, rainfall and extreme weather patterns.
Source: www.bbc.co.uk