El Niño to Push 2026 Among Hottest Years on Record: UN
El Niño is expected to intensify extreme weather and keep global temperatures near record highs into 2027.
The United Nations' World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has reported that 2026 is set to be among the four hottest years on record, with elevated temperatures persisting into 2027 due to a powerful El Niño. The global average surface temperature from January to September was approximately 2.65°F (1.47°C) above the pre-industrial average, with the past 12 years ranking among the hottest globally, with 2023-2026 occupying the top four spots.
The WMO warns that this El Niño, expected to continue into early 2027, will act as a risk multiplier for health, as increased heat, drought, and heavy rainfall can contribute to heat-related illnesses and mortality. The World Health Organization has classified the anticipated health impacts of extreme heat and the record-breaking El Niño as a health emergency, highlighting the disproportionate impact on low-income neighborhoods.
Brief written by urgent.news from Newsweek's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
