El Niño Could Become the Strongest on Record, UN Warns

The El Niño phenomenon developing this year is reaching extraordinary intensity and could become the strongest on record, according to a new United Nations warning.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported that El Niño will continue strengthening over the coming months and is expected to reach “very strong” intensity by the end of 2026.

New projections place the probability of El Niño remaining active through February 2027 at nearly 100%.

According to the information released, the WMO has never issued such a strong forecast regarding the persistence of this climate phenomenon.

UN Warns of an Unprecedented El Niño

“El Niño is growing in size before our eyes,” warned United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.

The official said that current conditions are pushing the planet toward an unprecedented climate scenario.

El Niño occurs when waters in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean experience abnormal warming.

This pattern typically occurs every three or four years and can significantly alter temperatures and precipitation around the world.

Pacific Ocean Temperatures Concern Experts

One of the main factors behind the warning is the intense warming already being recorded in the Pacific Ocean.

Sea surface temperatures are far above average and continue to rise.

However, the anomalies are not limited to the surface.

During July and early August, some areas recorded subsurface ocean temperatures more than 8 degrees Celsius (14.4 degrees Fahrenheit) above average.

The combination of surface and subsurface warming is creating favorable conditions for El Niño to continue strengthening over the coming months.

It Could Be the Strongest El Niño on Record

WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo warned that the current development could surpass every episode observed since modern monitoring began.

“If this trajectory continues, it could be stronger than any other since we began our monitoring,” she explained.

According to Saulo, the phenomenon could literally exceed the scales used during the past four decades.

What Could a Powerful El Niño Trigger?

Between September and November, meteorologists expect above-average temperatures across almost the entire surface of the planet.

Precipitation patterns are also beginning to display the characteristic behavior associated with El Niño.

This could result in a greater likelihood of intense rainfall and flooding in certain regions, while others could experience drought.

YOU MAY BE INTERESTED: Edouard Flooding in Texas Causes Outages: How Long Will It Last?

The WMO warns that the consequences could intensify as the phenomenon gains strength.

“El Niño has the potential to deliver a massive blow to communities and economies around the world,” Saulo noted.

The official added that damage from floods and droughts is already being observed and that these impacts could increase over the next few months.