Exceptional El Nino weather pattern declared a global threat: Everything to know

The world is bracing for an “exceptional El Niño weather pattern: that is expected to be the strongest ever recorded, with potentially adverse consequences for communities and economies worldwide.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said the current El Niño event started in June and is expected to intensify into a very strong phenomenon lasting until at least February 2027.

It is expected that sea surface temperatures are set to rise by 4 degrees Celsius above average, potentially surpassing all records since 1950.

The current environmental situation is described by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as “unchartered waters,” warning that “El Niño is being supersized before our eyes.”

WMO Secretary General Celeste Saulo also stressed the phenomenon’s potential to “deliver a massive blow to communities and economies across the world.”

The extraordinary El Niño weather phenomenon is already affecting the world’s weather system, causing fires in Indonesia which have affected more than 107,000 hectares, as well as reducing the crossing of ships in the Panama Canal by 10% because of the expected drop in rainfall. China has been hit by three typhoons in just one month, July, with another seven typhoons predicted to hit land this year.

In the case of the UK, the Met Office says there will be an increase in wetter and stormier weather during the autumn and early winter seasons, followed by record temperatures in 2027. Experts note that the effects of the extraordinary El Niño phenomenon are happening alongside manmade climate change and are a major cause for concern regarding community preparedness.