El Nino set to intensify before peaking in December, UN warns

The United Nations has warned that El Nino is set to intensify before peaking in December. According to the World Meteorological Organization, this naturally occurring weather phenomenon could be the strongest since at least 1950. El Nino brings higher temperatures to much of the planet, compounding the effects of man-made climate change.

The WMO stated that El Nino will continue to intensify ahead of its forecast peak in December, with forecasts indicating a near-100% likelihood that it will persist through February 2027. The phenomenon warms surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, leading to worldwide changes in winds, pressure, and rainfall patterns.

El Nino typically occurs every two to seven years and lasts around nine to 12 months. The WMO warned that it is likely to bring above-average temperatures to much of the globe and shift rainfall patterns, increasing the risk of drought and floods in different regions. According to Dawn, sea-surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific are forecast to increase to record levels during October-November-December.

Brief written by urgent.news from France 24, Dawn, Free Malaysia Today — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.