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Experts Issue Urgent Warning Over Super El Niño That Could Be The Strongest In History
A major climate event predicted to take place this summer is sparking concern among scientists, as its warned a rare ‘super’ El Niño could be the strongest in history.
Climate experts are now warning there is a 9 in 10 chance that the powerful event will take hold, triggering widespread weather disruption around the world.
An El Niño event takes place when sea surfaces reach warmer than average temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific ocean, which can lead to extreme weather disruptions like heatwaves, droughts, heavy rainfall and flooding.
The warning comes as many countries are already grappling with the effects of a warming climate, from unprecedented heatwaves to increasingly destructive natural disasters. Researchers fear that El Niño could intensify these challenges and push global weather patterns to even more extreme levels.
A climate phenomenon drawing closer
Fresh scientific assessments suggest the chances of a super El Niño occurring have increased significantly. According to analysis cited by the Daily Mail, the event is expected to emerge in the coming months and could continue affecting many regions until at least November.
The latest projections have prompted renewed calls for governments and international organizations to prepare for potentially severe consequences, although experts acknowledge that the scale of the event may leave many communities vulnerable regardless of planning efforts.
“The science is clear,” outlined UN Secretary-General António Guterres. “El Niño is arriving on our doorstep in the coming months with 90% certainty. The world must treat it as the urgent climate warning it is.”
“El Niño conditions will pour fuel on the fire of a warming world,” Guterres continued. “Impacts will hit even harder, travel even farther, and cross borders with devastating speed. The only effective response is climate action equal to the crisis, ending the addition to fossil fuels, accelerating the shift to renewables, protecting the most vulnerable, and delivering early warning systems for all.”
Heat, floods, and weather extremes
One of the biggest concerns surrounding El Niño is its uneven impact across different parts of the world. Some regions are expected to face prolonged periods of extreme heat, while others could experience unusually intense rainfall and flooding.
Scientists have long warned that climate change increases the likelihood and severity of such events, and many believe El Niño could amplify those existing pressures. As a result, countries may be forced to contend with more volatile weather conditions over the coming months.
Food systems under pressure
Beyond the immediate dangers posed by storms, droughts, and heatwaves, experts are also worried about the effect on global agriculture. Key food-producing regions could be hit by either severe water shortages or destructive flooding, threatening crop yields and disrupting supply chains.
These concerns arrive at a time when global demand for food continues to rise, leaving little room for major production setbacks. Researchers warn that the combination of climate change and El Niño-related weather could create significant challenges for food security in several parts of the world.
Forecasts currently indicate that 2026 may set new temperature records, including both the hottest individual day ever recorded and the warmest average global temperatures seen in a single year. Dry conditions are expected to affect areas including Central America, northern South America, the Caribbean, Australia, Indonesia, and parts of southern Asia.
Why the Amazon matters
Among the ecosystems facing the greatest risk is the Amazon rainforest, which scientists believe could suffer substantial damage if extreme conditions persist.
The rainforest plays a critical role in regulating the global climate by absorbing vast amounts of carbon dioxide. Any lasting harm to the Amazon would therefore extend far beyond South America, potentially weakening one of the world’s most important natural tools for combating climate change.
As concerns grow over the approaching El Niño, many researchers argue that the event should serve as another reminder of the urgent need for climate action. Despite years of warnings from scientists and environmental organizations, fossil fuel use remains widespread, while some major economies have scaled back or delayed commitments to net-zero targets.
For experts, the approaching weather phenomenon is not simply a seasonal event but another indication of the mounting challenges facing a planet that continues to warm.
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