{
  "id": 1726158,
  "title": "Over 90% chance of Super El Nino, warns MetMalaysia",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/over-90-chance-of-super-el-nino-warns-metmalaysia",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-18T13:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/08/18/over-90-chance-of-super-el-nino-warns-metmalaysia"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "MetMalaysia has issued a warning of a high probability of a Super El Nino event occurring between October and December 2026. Director-General Hisham Anip stated that current climate patterns suggest this could be one of the most extreme El Nino events ever recorded. The forecast is based on a significant rise in the Relative Oceanic Niño Index (RONI) since mid-year and recent observations of sea surface temperatures more than 1.8 degrees Celsius above the average. Hisham explained that the El Nino is expected to peak towards the end of 2026 and has the potential to surpass the intensity of the 1997-1998 and 2015-2016 El Nino episodes, which reached temperatures of 40.1 degrees Celsius and 39.3 degrees Celsius respectively. The intensified El Nino is also anticipated to coincide with a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), which could further exacerbate the impact on rainfall across the region.",
  "summary": "The department says there is a high possibility of a 'very strong' El Nino between October and December.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Over 90% chance of Super El Nino, warns MetMalaysia",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/over-90-chance-of-super-el-nino-warns-metmalaysia-1728960",
        "published": "2026-08-18T13:30:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}