The El Niño weather phenomenon is expected to strengthen further until 2027 and could become the most potent one on record, increasing the likelihood of extreme weather events next year, according to the World Meteorological Organization. The organization’s Secretary-General, Celeste Saulo, indicated that if the current trend persists, this El Niño could surpass any previous occurrences in the past four decades.
The World Meteorological Organization stated that there is a nearly 100% certainty that El Niño will continue until February 2027, driven by unusually warm temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. This level of certainty is unprecedented in the organization’s history.
A powerful El Niño can bring significant changes to global rainfall and temperature patterns and contribute to extreme weather phenomena such as typhoons. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized the unprecedented nature of the current El Niño, stating that the planet is experiencing uncharted territory with rising temperatures.
El Niño, characterized by periodic warming of sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific due to weakened trade winds, occurs naturally every two to seven years and typically lasts up to 12 months, leading to intense rainfall and droughts across Latin America.
The current El Niño has already impacted agricultural regions in tropical areas, resulting in a severe food crisis in Central America’s Dry Corridor. The World Meteorological Organization predicts that this El Niño will peak later this year but will continue to affect global temperatures into 2027.
In response to the anticipated effects of El Niño, the WMO is enhancing preparedness and early warning measures. Secretary-General Saulo emphasized the organization’s commitment to collaborating with UN partners and humanitarian agencies to provide vital climate information for disaster management and climate-sensitive sectors like agriculture, health, energy, and water resources.