{"id":924330,"date":"2026-08-02T16:13:02","date_gmt":"2026-08-02T21:13:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/02\/el-nino-forecast-un-says-record-ocean-warming-could-bring-dangerous-heat-droughts-and-floods-worldwide\/"},"modified":"2026-08-02T16:13:02","modified_gmt":"2026-08-02T21:13:02","slug":"el-nino-forecast-un-says-record-ocean-warming-could-bring-dangerous-heat-droughts-and-floods-worldwide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/02\/el-nino-forecast-un-says-record-ocean-warming-could-bring-dangerous-heat-droughts-and-floods-worldwide\/","title":{"rendered":"El Nino forecast: UN says record ocean warming could bring dangerous heat, droughts and floods worldwide"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A rapidly strengthening El Ni\u00f1o has already broken records for its intensity at this early stage, prompting the United Nations to warn that the climate phenomenon could worsen extreme weather across the globe over the coming months.<\/p>\n

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres<\/a> said the world is entering “uncharted territory,” cautioning that the developing El Ni\u00f1o<\/a> will amplify the effects of climate change<\/a> by bringing more heatwaves, droughts, wildfires and heavy rainfall.<\/p>\n

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What is El Ni\u00f1o?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

El Ni\u00f1o<\/a> is a naturally occurring climate pattern marked by unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Although it is a recurring phenomenon, El Ni\u00f1o significantly alters global weather patterns by changing atmospheric circulation. It typically develops every two to seven years and lasts between nine months and a year.<\/p>\n

Scientists say El Ni\u00f1o itself is not caused by climate change, but when combined with long-term global warming, it can make extreme weather events more severe.<\/p>\n

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Why is this El Ni\u00f1o different?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

According to scientists at Columbia University, the Pacific Ocean region used to measure El Ni\u00f1o’s strength has reached its warmest level ever recorded for the 15th week after the event’s formation\u2014an unprecedented milestone this early in its development.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Most climate models now suggest this El Ni\u00f1o could become one of the strongest, if not the strongest, on record when it peaks later this year, though scientists stress that forecasts are still subject to uncertainty.<\/p>\n

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) expects the event to persist through spring 2027.<\/p>\n

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Why is the UN worried?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The UN says El Ni\u00f1o is unfolding against the backdrop of record-breaking global ocean temperatures driven by greenhouse gas emissions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Speaking at a news conference, Guterres warned: “Two months ago, I warned that El Ni\u00f1o was arriving on our doorstep. Now it is inside the house\u2014and turning up the heat.”<\/p>\n

He described recent record heatwaves, devastating wildfires and deadly temperatures as only “a warm-up act,” adding that the strengthening El Ni\u00f1o is “adding fuel to a planet already on fire.”<\/p>\n

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What weather impacts are expected?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Scientists say El Ni\u00f1o’s biggest impacts will emerge during the coming months, particularly in autumn and winter.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Higher risk of drought and wildfires<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The WMO forecasts an increased likelihood of:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

-Drought across India, Indonesia and parts of Southeast Asia<\/p>\n

-Below-average rainfall in eastern and southern Australia<\/p>\n

-Dry conditions across parts of South America<\/p>\n

-Increased drought risk in southern Africa<\/p>\n

-Greater wildfire danger in several of these regions<\/p>\n

-More rainfall and flooding<\/p>\n

Other areas are expected to receive above-normal rainfall, including:<\/p>\n

-Much of the United States<\/p>\n

-Southern Europe<\/p>\n

-Some regions already affected by wildfires<\/p>\n

Heavy rainfall raises the risk of flooding, landslides and infrastructure damage.<\/p>\n

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How does climate change make El Ni\u00f1o worse?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Scientists explain that oceans absorb most of the excess heat<\/a> generated by greenhouse gas emissions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

During El Ni\u00f1o, part of that stored heat is released into the atmosphere, pushing global temperatures even higher.<\/p>\n

Columbia University climate scientist Jeffrey Shaman said this process could contribute to exceptionally hot conditions next year, warning that the Northern Hemisphere “is going to possibly have a summer like we’ve never experienced globally.”<\/p>\n

Even after El Ni\u00f1o fades, much of the released heat remains in the atmosphere, adding to the long-term warming trend.<\/p>\n

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What is the UN calling for?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The UN urged governments to use the months before El Ni\u00f1o reaches peak strength to prepare for its impacts.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

The WMO called for:<\/p>\n

-Stronger early warning systems<\/p>\n

-Better disaster preparedness<\/p>\n

-Measures to protect vulnerable communities from extreme heat<\/p>\n

-Greater resilience against droughts and floods<\/p>\n

Guterres also renewed calls for reducing dependence on fossil fuels, arguing that climate change is intensifying natural weather cycles.<\/p>\n

He said governments must treat climate change as an existential threat and accelerate efforts to reduce emissions, warning that continued reliance on coal, oil and gas will make future climate extremes even more severe.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Stay updated with the latest Trending<\/a>, India<\/a>, World<\/a> and US<\/a> news. Follow CJP Protest LIVE updates<\/a> as Sonam Wangchuk ends his 26-day hunger strike following government assurances, while the Jantar Mantar protest continues. Get the latest updates on talks between the CJP delegation and the Centre, the demand for Dharmendra Pradhan\u2019s resignation, possible arrests, Delhi security measures and developments in Parliament.<\/p>\n

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Home<\/a>News<\/a>World<\/a>El Nino forecast: UN says record ocean warming could bring dangerous heat, droughts and floods worldwide<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\n Tama Klemp<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A rapidly strengthening El Ni\u00f1o has already broken records for its intensity at this early stage, prompting the United Nations to warn that the climate phenomenon could worsen extreme weather across the globe over the coming months. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the world is entering “uncharted territory,” cautioning that the developing El Ni\u00f1o will<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":924331,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27971,3543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-924330","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-forecast","category-record"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/924330","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=924330"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/924330\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/924331"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=924330"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=924330"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newsycanuse.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=924330"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}