The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warned Thursday that the El Niño weather pattern is set to grow stronger and remain active through February 2027. Forecasts show a near‑100 % likelihood of the phenomenon persisting, driven by unusually warm Pacific Ocean temperatures.
Potential impacts worldwide
A very strong El Niño can dramatically shift rainfall and temperature patterns, fueling extreme weather such as typhoons, severe floods and prolonged droughts. This year’s event has already contributed to a severe food crisis in Central America’s Dry Corridor, where farmers face both intense rains and prolonged dry spells.
International response
WMO Secretary‑General Celeste Saulo said the agency is stepping up preparedness and early‑warning efforts. “WMO is committed to working closely with partners across the United Nations and humanitarian system to provide the climate intelligence and insights needed to support disaster management and climate‑sensitive sectors like agriculture, health, energy and water resources,” she said.
United Nations Secretary‑General Antonio Guterres added, “El Niño is being supersized before our eyes. The science leaves no room for doubt: the planet is in uncharted waters, and those waters are heating up.”
El Niño is a periodic warming of sea‑surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific caused by weakening trade winds. It occurs naturally every two to seven years and typically lasts up to twelve months, but this cycle appears poised to extend well beyond the usual timeframe.
Experts urge governments, farmers and disaster‑relief agencies to monitor the evolving situation closely, especially in regions already vulnerable to climate‑related food insecurity.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
