It’s likely that 2026 will be the hottest year on record, experts say
Additionally, 2027 is expected to set a new high, according to an analysis.
Experts predict 2026 may become the hottest year on record, fueled by a powerful El Nino weather pattern. Berkeley Earth, a nonprofit research group, projects temperatures in the Eastern tropical Pacific Ocean could soar 4 degrees Celsius above normal by year-end, compared to 2.75 degrees Celsius for the 2015-2016 El Nino. Since June, the El Nino has intensified, raising the likelihood of 2026 becoming the hottest year from 12% in July to 69% in August.
This extreme heat has already triggered devastating wildfires in France and Spain, as well as a scorching heat wave in the U.S. that set a record for the hottest July on record. While El Nino brings both drying and increased rainfall to different regions, the overall impact is expected to exacerbate economic challenges in many countries, particularly emerging markets struggling with the effects of the Iran war.
Scientists stress that climate change is a long-term trend, but El Nino acts as a significant amplifying factor for extreme weather events in the short term.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
