UN warns of 'supersized' El Niño lasting until 2027
The UN warns the world has entered a danger zone as the WMO reports El Niño could be the strongest in 70 years, lasting until February 2027.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- The UN warns the world has entered a danger zone of extreme weather due to El Niño.
- Forecasts show this could be the strongest El Niño in over 70 years, lasting until February 2027.
- Monthly sea surface temperatures in parts of the Pacific could reach nearly 4C above average.
- Global trade and agriculture face severe disruptions from droughts, typhoons, and lower water levels.
The world has entered a danger zone of extreme weather as the impacts of El Niño start to be felt globally, UN head António Guterres has warned. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has released the latest data on the natural weather phenomenon showing it could be the strongest for more than 70 years and last until at least February 2027.
El Niño changes weather patterns around the world, pushing some regions into drought whilst others experience stronger typhoons and flooding. Forecasters also say El Niño will boost temperatures in some places, coming on top of rising heat globally from human-induced climate change.
"El Niño is being supersized before our eyes. The science leaves no room for doubt: the planet is in uncharted waters, and those waters are heating up," Guterres said.
The BBC spoke with governments and scientists about the measures being taken globally to reduce the risk of deaths, displacement, and environmental damage. Early warning systems have been strengthened alongside the deployment of pre-emptive medical assistance, but the strength of this particular event has raised serious concerns particularly for vulnerable groups.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The WMO stated it has undertaken a major mobilisation to try to circulate forecasts of potential extreme weather events to as many communities as possible. WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo warned that El Niño has the potential to deliver a massive blow to communities and economies across the world, noting that temperatures beneath the surface of the Pacific are in places more than 8C above average.
"El Niño is being supersized before our eyes. The science leaves no room for doubt: the planet is in uncharted waters, and those waters are heating up,"
António Guterres
With reduced rainfall bringing droughts and trade disruption, the Panama Canal will reduce the number of passing vessels by more than 10% to anticipate lower rainfall. Meanwhile, Indonesia is racing to contain wildfires that have burned more than 107,000 hectares of land nationwide this dry season, deploying cloud-seeding aircraft and arresting dozens over land-clearing allegations.
Analyzing the trajectory of a 'Super El Niño' underscores the vulnerability of interconnected global infrastructures, such as maritime bottlenecks like the Panama Canal and regional agricultural ecosystems. As climate extremes overlap with human-induced warming, proactive adaptation strategies and robust early warning frameworks are vital to mitigating catastrophic economic and humanitarian fallout.
Source: BBC Science & Environment
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