WMO warns El Niño could become strongest on record

WMO Warns Current El Niño Could Become Strongest on Record

September 4

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has forecast that the ongoing El Niño climate phenomenon has nearly a 100 percent chance of continuing through February 2027.

El Niño is a phenomenon in which sea surface temperatures rise above normal near the equator in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Peru, often causing abnormal weather impacts worldwide, such as heatwaves and droughts.

Due to unusually warm sea surface temperatures across the tropical Pacific region, the current El Niño is expected to strengthen further in the coming months and could reach an extremely severe level, according to the WMO.

The WMO projects that the El Niño event could peak around the end of this year, with its impacts on weather potentially persisting through 2027.

If it continues to intensify at the current rate, it could become a stronger event than any previously recorded El Niño, said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.

The WMO has also warned that a stronger El Niño could significantly affect rainfall and temperature patterns, increasing the risk of floods, droughts, and extreme temperature hazards, and has urged relevant countries to make necessary preparations in advance.

Ref & Photo; Reuters