“Off the charts!” El Niño expected to intensify to exceptional levels in coming months

September 3, 2026

El Niño is expected to intensify to exceptional levels in the coming months with nearly a 100% certainty that it will persist until February 2027.

The United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO) provided the update during a press conference n Geneva, Switzerland today.

WMO General Secretary, Celeste Saulo said this is the first time the organization has given an El Niño update with such certainty.

El Niño is a natural climate pattern defined by the warming of sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical pacific ocean.

Saulo said the world is in the danger zone of extreme weather as this El Niño could be the strongest since records began four decades ago.

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El Niño in Spanish means boy child, but Saulo warned that it has the potential to deliver a massive blow to communities, economies and supply chains across the world.

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She noted that this exceptional El Niño demands exceptional preparation and response.

Saulo said as a result, the WMO has launched a major mobilization with the National Meteorological and Hydro-logical services which are the front-line of delivering forecasts and services to save lives and livelihoods.

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She urged nations to work together to mitigate the impact of this El Nino.

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