The World Meteorological Organization announced on Thursday that the El Niño weather phenomenon is projected to escalate through 2027, potentially becoming the most intense event on record. Secretary-General Celeste Saulo stated that if the current trend continues, it could surpass any previous monitoring data over the past four decades.
According to the UN weather agency, there is a high probability of El Niño persisting until February 2027, driven by unusually warm Pacific Ocean temperatures. This level of certainty in the forecast is unprecedented. A powerful El Niño can have significant global impacts by altering rainfall and temperature patterns, leading to extreme weather events such as typhoons.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized the unprecedented scale of the current El Niño, stating that the planet is experiencing unprecedented warming. El Niño, a cyclical warming of sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific linked to weakened trade winds, occurs naturally every few years and typically lasts up to 12 months, affecting weather patterns across Latin America.
This year’s El Niño has already affected tropical regions, causing a severe food crisis in Central America’s Dry Corridor. The WMO expects El Niño to peak later this year, with lingering effects into 2027, resulting in elevated global temperatures. The organization is enhancing preparedness and early warning systems to mitigate the impacts on various sectors like agriculture, health, energy, and water resources.
The significance of a ‘super’ El Niño and its implications are highlighted in a video presentation. Climate models predict a strong El Niño for 2026, underscoring the importance of understanding its potential effects.