UN warns El Niño is “off the charts” and “supersizing before our eyes”

**UN Warns of Intensifying El Niño Event**

The United Nations’ weather agency, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), has issued a warning that the current El Niño event is intensifying and may become the strongest on record. During a press conference in Geneva on Thursday, officials stated there is a near-certain probability that the phenomenon will persist into 2027.

WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo described the current trajectory as “off the charts,” noting that if the trend continues, the event could surpass any recorded since monitoring began. According to the WMO, Pacific Ocean temperatures for this event—one of only four classified as “very strong” since 1950—are already more than two degrees Celsius above normal.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the severity of the situation, stating, “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.”

**Global Weather Impacts**
El Niño is a natural periodic warming of sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific caused by weakening trade winds. It typically occurs every two to seven years and lasts up to 12 months. A strong event can significantly alter global rainfall and temperature patterns, often leading to extreme weather events such as typhoons.

The current event has already impacted soft commodities in tropical regions and contributed to a food crisis in Central America’s “dry corridor.” Historically, El Niño brings drought conditions to Australia, Indonesia, and southern Africa, while increasing heavy rainfall along the west coast of South America, East Africa, and the southern United States. Europe is generally considered less affected by the phenomenon.

**Projections for 2027**
While the WMO expects the current El Niño to peak toward the end of this year, the organization warns that its influence on global temperatures will extend into 2027.

Wilfran Moufouma Okia, the WMO’s chief of climate prediction services, noted that global temperatures often experience a temporary pulse in the year following an El Niño event. Given that 2024 reached approximately 1.6 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, officials indicated that 2027 has the potential to become the warmest year on record.

In response to these projections, the WMO is increasing its early-warning efforts. “WMO is committed to working closely with partners across the United Nations and humanitarian system to provide the climate intelligence and insights needed to support disaster management and climate-sensitive sectors like agriculture, health, energy and water resources,” Saulo said.

Article and image source: monacolife.net