UN Expects "Very Strong" El Niño Phenomenon to Last Until February 2027

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced on Thursday that the “El Niño” phenomenon has become “firmly established” and will intensify in the coming months, with a “near 100 percent” likelihood that it will persist until February 2027.

The organization issued a new warning, stating that “El Niño has become firmly established and will strengthen in the coming months, with significant impacts on rainfall patterns and temperatures, along with associated risks of floods, droughts, and extreme heat.”

For his part, UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned on Thursday that “El Niño” is pushing the world into a “high-risk zone” that may experience extreme weather events.

In a statement, Guterres said, “Science leaves no room for doubt: the planet is entering uncharted territory, and waters are warming. Sea surface temperatures have reached unprecedented levels and continue to rise. We find ourselves in a high-risk zone where extreme weather events become the new normal.”

He added, “The race is now between growing risks and our commitment to taking climate action and protecting people. We must win this race.”

El Niño is a natural climate phenomenon and is not caused by climate change.

However, scientists expect it to exacerbate global warming, which is primarily driven by the burning of fossil fuels, and to worsen extreme weather events.