WMO Warns of Historically Strong El Niño Expected to Last Until February 2027
5 sources across 5 countries · 1 of them is linked to a state
Who reported this
- G1
- France 24
- The Indian Express
- The Japan Times
- Al Jazeera
What the colours mean
- Left
- Centre-left
- Centre
- Centre-right
- Right
- A hatched block means the outlet is affiliated with, or controlled by, a state.
Political lean describes where an outlet sits within the politics of its own country. It is never a position on a single global scale.
Political lean is comparable inside one country and not across them, which is why the bar groups by country first. Publicly funded broadcasters are not marked as state-linked.
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The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) announced that a very strong El Niño phenomenon is developing and is expected to maintain its intensity until February 2027. This event could become the strongest on record, with some projections indicating sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific could spike by 3 degrees Celsius. WMO Secretary General Celeste Saulo stated that the phenomenon has the potential to deliver a massive blow to global communities and economies through increased droughts, floods, and extreme heat.
Regional impacts vary by location. In South America, the phenomenon is linked to the disappearance of anchovies off the coast and risks of severe drought in the Amazon and Northeast regions, alongside devastating storms in the South. In the Pacific, Palau has already been affected by three simultaneous cyclones. In India, while the monsoon largely escaped the initial development of El Niño, experts suggest the intensifying event could keep cold weather at bay during the upcoming winter. Additionally, a positive phase of the Indian Ocean Dipole is expected to develop between September and November, which could potentially counter some El Niño effects.
There is a consensus among sources that this natural event is being amplified by human induced global warming. The UN has warned that the planet may exceed the 1.5 degree Celsius warming limit established by the Paris Agreement. Scientists note that the current El Niño is unfolding on a much warmer planet, which increases the likelihood of pushing ecosystems and human populations beyond previous experiences.
How each side framed it
- Centre-left
- These outlets emphasized the systemic risks to biodiversity and the economy, framing the event as a critical consequence of the broader climate emergency.
- Centre
- These outlets focused on the technical forecasts, the specific timeline of the event, and the broad global implications for weather patterns.
Sources
- Centre-left Al Jazeera: El Nino: A phenomenon supercharged by climate change
- Centre France 24: "We will no longer have autumn or winter": why the El Niño episode expected at the end of 2026 is worrying
- Centre France 24: Global warming: Palau, Pacific islands, on the front line
- Centre-left G1: El Niño continues to gain intensity and could last until February 2027, UN warns
- Centre The Indian Express: ‘Very’ strong El Nino emerging, to last till Feb 2027: WMO
- Centre The Japan Times: Europe’s summer felt like a game changer. Will next year be any different?
100% of the statements in this article were traced back to the source articles listed above.