The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warns of the early onset of a strong El Niño climate phenomenon. As early as May, it can bring extremes in the form of massive floods or catastrophic droughts and contribute to a further increase in global temperatures, informs . According to the latest data from the Geneva-based WMO, surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean are rising rapidly, which is a clear signal of the arrival of the El Niño phenomenon.
This phenomenon brings with it extremes in the weather – while torrential rains are threatened in parts of Africa and South America, devastating droughts are expected in Australia and Indonesia. The impacts may also be felt indirectly in Europe. At the same time, experts point out that El Niño will significantly start global warming again.
For comparison, the warmest year on record in 2024 (when the global average temperature was about 1.55 degrees above pre-industrial levels) it was also preceded by El Niño. The head of the WMO department for climate forecasts, Wilfran Moufouma Okia, does not rule out that the year 2027 could also be above the critical limit of 1.5 degrees.
Current computational models indicate a very strong presence of this phenomenon. Although the spring months are difficult to forecast, meteorologists expect more stable data and more accurate forecasts from May. El Niño is a climate phenomenon that occurs naturally every two to seven years. It always begins with a warming of the ocean surface and its conditions usually persist for nine to twelve months.
