"Supersized" El Niño's harshest weather ahead includes heat, drought, floods
A new forecast predicts with almost 100% certainty that El Niño will remain in place until early 2027, peaking later this year.
A powerful and prolonged El Niño climate event is set to have far-reaching impacts on global weather patterns, warning the United Nations. Speaking on Thursday, U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said the severe El Niño is "supersized" and causing unprecedented impacts. The World Meteorological Organization updated its forecast to highlight that the current El Niño's strength and duration are expected to continue through the end of the year, potentially reaching "very strong" levels.
El Niño is a climate pattern driven by unusually warm ocean temperatures in the tropical Pacific, which impacts weather worldwide. The organization notes that ocean temperatures have already risen significantly from a baseline of normal conditions, which means the cycle is unfolding from a hotter starting point. Meteorologists expect widespread above-normal temperatures and altered rainfall patterns globally, with some regions experiencing extreme flooding and others facing drought.
The World Health Organization has launched a campaign to improve weather forecasts and early warning systems to help prepare communities for the potential impacts of this intensifying El Niño.
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