UN warns to prepare for potentially strongest El Niño yet, fearing global weather reshape

The United Nations has issued a significant warning, urging global preparedness for the imminent return of El Niño, a natural climate phenomenon characterized by unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) forecasts an 80% likelihood of El Niño developing between June and August 2026, with a high probability of it continuing until November. Scientists are particularly concerned due to projections indicating this El Niño could be moderate to strong, potentially becoming one of the most intense on record.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized that El Niño conditions will exacerbate the impacts of a warming world, acting as "fuel on the fire" of climate change. This combination is expected to push global temperatures to new record highs, with 2027 potentially surpassing 2024 as the hottest year. The phenomenon is anticipated to supercharge extreme weather events, leading to increased risks of severe heatwaves, droughts in some regions like Australia and parts of Asia, and heavy rainfall and floods in areas such as South America and the Horn of Africa.

The WMO Secretary-General, Celeste Saulo, highlighted the need for countries to prepare for these wide-ranging impacts, which include heightened risks to public health and increased pressure on food and water systems. Unusually warm subsurface Pacific temperatures are already contributing to the development of this El Niño, prompting calls for urgent action and robust early warning systems to mitigate potential devastation.