{
  "id": 2450586,
  "title": "Explainer: Strongest El Nino ever set to scorch 2027 — this is your sneak peek at tomorrow’s climate",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/21/explainer-strongest-el-nino-ever-set-to-scorch-2027-this-is-your",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-21T23:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/life/2026/08/22/explainer-strongest-el-nino-ever-set-to-scorch-2027-this-is-your-sneak-peek-at-tomorrows-climate/232171"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "This year's El Nino is set to become the strongest on record, potentially making 2027 the hottest year ever recorded. El Nino is a natural cycle in the tropical Pacific known as the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), which occurs when trade winds weaken, allowing warm water to move east and rise to the surface. The extreme heat caused by this event can lead to more storms and clouds, affecting weather patterns globally. Currently, sea surface temperatures in the Nino 3.4 region are running about 2.6C above the 30-year average, and forecasts indicate it could peak at 3.9C anomaly this November. This would make 2027 a near certainty for the hottest year on record, as the heat impact is felt the following year. Climate change, caused by human activities, exacerbates the effects of El Nino, with warmer atmosphere holding more moisture and drying out soils, leading to more extreme rains and droughts. Scientists believe climate change may also be increasing the strength of El Ninos, potentially amplifying the cycle itself.",
  "summary": "WASHINGTON, Aug 22 — This year’s El Nino is on track to be the strongest on record, threatening to unleash e...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "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."
}