The El Nino phenomenon is intensifying rapidly and is forecast to dominate global weather patterns in the coming months, increasing the risk of heatwaves, droughts, and floods worldwide. The warning was issued by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in an update published on Friday.
The alert comes as several African and European countries struggle with major wildfires, while torrential rains cause severe damage in South Asia.
“El Nino is not just at our doorstep—it is already inside and raising temperatures,” said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. “This is just the beginning. El Nino is strengthening, adding more fuel to a planet that is already burning.”
Sea surface temperatures in the central Pacific are projected to rise more than 2.9 degrees Celsius above normal. This abnormal warming of ocean waters is expected to disrupt weather systems and push global temperatures higher.
Guterres urged nations to accelerate climate action as El Nino compounds human-induced global warming. He pointed to fossil fuel expansion as a key factor worsening the crisis, calling for an immediate halt to new coal, oil, and gas projects.
The WMO forecasts above-normal temperatures across nearly all land areas, with the most intense heat signals stretching from Africa, Southern Europe, the Indian subcontinent, East Asia, and into South America.
WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo stressed that while El Nino is closely monitored, early warnings must translate into concrete action by governments and humanitarian agencies to protect vulnerable communities. “Forecasts alone do not prevent disasters; people do,” Saulo said. “The decisions we make today will shape the impacts we experience tomorrow.”
Scientists warn this year's El Nino could reach record strength as it peaks in the second half of the year, though computer model forecasts remain uncertain.
