El Niño Likely to Persist into Late 2026, WMO Says

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) is warning of a return of the El Niño climate phenomenon, which could further increase global temperatures and bring extreme weather events in the coming months. According to current forecasts, there is a high probability that El Niño will persist until at least November, and its intensity could be moderate to very strong.

Meteorologists have noted a significant warming of the waters in the equatorial Pacific, where temperatures below the surface are more than six degrees Celsius above the long-term average in places. It is this accumulated heat reservoir that creates the conditions for an El Niño to develop.

The phenomenon usually brings drought to Australia, Indonesia or parts of Asia, while some regions of the Americas and Africa may face more intense rainfall and flooding. At the same time, the WMO warns of a growing risk of heat waves, the spread of disease, water resource problems and pressure on agriculture and food security.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres described the development as another serious warning of the consequences of climate change and called for a faster transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources.

(reuters, max)