The El Niño weather event is projected to strengthen until 2027, potentially becoming the most intense on record, heightening the likelihood of extreme weather conditions next year, as per the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announcement on Thursday. WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo stated that if the current trend persists, this El Niño could surpass any previously monitored, exceeding the norms established over the past four decades.
The United Nations weather agency indicated a nearly 100% certainty of El Niño persisting until February 2027 due to exceptionally warm Pacific Ocean temperatures, marking the first time such a high level of confidence has been expressed. A powerful El Niño has the capability to significantly alter global rainfall and temperature patterns, potentially fueling occurrences of severe weather such as typhoons.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized the unprecedented scale of the El Niño event, highlighting the undeniable scientific evidence that the planet is experiencing uncharted territory with rising temperatures. El Niño, a cyclical warming of sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific caused by weakened trade winds, occurs naturally every two to seven years and typically lasts up to 12 months, leading to intense precipitation and droughts across Latin America.
The ongoing El Niño phenomenon has already impacted agricultural commodities in tropical regions, triggering a severe food crisis in Central America’s Dry Corridor. The WMO foresees this year’s El Niño peaking towards the end of the year but expects its effects to extend into 2027, leaving elevated global temperatures in its aftermath, according to Saulo.
Saulo affirmed that the WMO is enhancing preparedness and early warning systems to address the situation effectively. She stressed the organization’s commitment to collaborating with partners within the United Nations and humanitarian sectors to provide essential climate insights for disaster management and climate-sensitive industries like agriculture, health, energy, and water resources.
