El Nino is set to intensify into one of the strongest events on record over the coming months, raising the risk of floods, drought and extreme heat well into 2027, experts have warned.
“El Nino is being supersized before our eyes,” said Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary-general.
“The science leaves no room for doubt: the planet is in uncharted waters, and those waters are heating up. Sea surface temperatures are rising, temperatures keep climbing, and the world is in the danger zone of extreme weather.
“The race now is between rising risks and our commitment to take climate action and protect people. We must win that race.”
Forecasts from the World Meteorological Organisation’s global network of climate centres put the likelihood that El Nino will persist through to February 2027 at close to 100 per cent, the organisation said in an update published on Thursday.
It said this was the first time a WMO El Nino update had been so unequivocal, reflecting strong agreement across its network of forecasting bodies.
Celeste Saulo, the WMO’s secretary-general, said the scale of the response required matched the scale of the event itself.
“This exceptional El Nino demands exceptional preparation and response,” she said.
Read more: The Independent on MSN
