WMO Warns El Niño to Strengthen Further, Peak in December with Record-Warm Pacific Waters

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) forecasts that the current El Niño event will continue to strengthen, reaching a "very strong intensity" before peaking towards the end of 2026, likely in December. Sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific are expected to reach the highest levels ever recorded between October and December. This strengthening El Niño is anticipated to bring above-average temperatures globally and shift rainfall patterns, increasing risks of drought in some regions and flooding in others.