WMO Warns of El Niño Intensifying to Record Strength, Bringing Global Extreme Weather Risks

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reports that the ongoing El Niño event is rapidly strengthening and is forecast to reach record sea-surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific during October-December 2026. With a near-100% likelihood to persist through February 2027, it could be one of the strongest since 1950, increasing global risks of extreme heat, drought, and flooding.