The World Meteorological Organization has forecasted that the El Niño weather pattern will continue to strengthen until 2027, potentially becoming the most intense on record. This escalation raises concerns about extreme weather events in the upcoming year. Secretary-General Celeste Saulo mentioned in a press conference in Geneva that if the current trend persists, this El Niño could surpass any previous occurrences observed over the past four decades.
According to the UN weather agency, there is a nearly 100% certainty that El Niño will persist through February 2027 due to the unusually warm temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. This level of certainty is unprecedented in the agency’s history. A powerful El Niño has the capacity to disrupt global rainfall and temperature patterns, leading to extreme weather phenomena such as typhoons.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized the significant impact of the intensifying El Niño, stating, “The science is unequivocal: the planet is experiencing unprecedented warming, and El Niño is growing in scale.” El Niño occurs cyclically every two to seven years, characterized by elevated sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific caused by weakened trade winds. Its effects can last up to a year, causing severe droughts and heavy rains across Latin America.
This year’s El Niño has already affected agricultural production in tropical regions, contributing to a severe food crisis in Central America’s Dry Corridor. The WMO predicts that the El Niño will peak later this year but will continue to influence global temperatures into 2027. Secretary-General Saulo highlighted the organization’s commitment to enhancing preparedness and early warning systems to mitigate the impact of El Niño on various sectors like agriculture, health, energy, and water resources.