{
  "id": 1728960,
  "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",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-18T13:30:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2026/08/18/over-90-chance-of-super-el-nino-warns-metmalaysia"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Malaysia's weather authorities have issued a warning that there is a more than 90% probability of a Super El Nino occurring between October and December 2026. MetMalaysia's director-general, Hisham Anip, stated that this forecast is based on the rising Relative Oceanic Niño Index (RONI) and recent sea surface temperatures that are more than 1.8 degrees Celsius above the average. The 1997-1998 and 2015-2016 El Nino events were among the strongest on record, with temperatures reaching 40.1 and 39.3 degrees Celsius in Chuping, Perlis, and Jerantut, Pahang, respectively. Hisham suggested that global climate patterns and the effects of recent global warming could make the upcoming temperature rise more pronounced, particularly between February and May. The strong El Nino is also expected to coincide with a positive Indian Ocean Dipole, which could further reduce rainfall in 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",
        "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."
}