The World Meteorological Organization has announced that the El Niño weather phenomenon is expected to intensify further into 2027, potentially becoming the strongest on record. This escalation raises concerns of extreme weather events in the coming year, according to WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.
The organization stated that there is a high likelihood of El Niño persisting through February 2027 due to unusually warm temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. This level of certainty is unprecedented, marking a significant development in weather forecasting.
El Niño’s impact can lead to significant disruptions in global rainfall and temperature patterns, potentially fueling events like typhoons. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized the unprecedented scale of this El Niño and its implications for global climate.
El Niño, characterized by elevated sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific, occurs naturally every few years, lasting up to 12 months and causing weather extremes across various regions. The current El Niño has already affected agricultural regions, contributing to food crises in Central America.
While the El Niño event is expected to peak later this year, its effects will extend into 2027, leaving a legacy of elevated global temperatures. The WMO is ramping up preparedness and early warning systems to mitigate potential risks associated with this intensifying weather pattern.
Saulo emphasized the organization’s commitment to collaborating with UN partners and the humanitarian sector to provide essential climate data for disaster management and climate-sensitive industries such as agriculture, health, energy, and water resources.