El Niño set to be 'strongest in living memory', says Met Office

What the report says

BBC World News reports that the Met Office says the El Niño event developing over the Pacific is likely to be the strongest in living memory. Scientists quoted in the article describe the pattern as unprecedented, with current sea-surface temperatures in a key Pacific region already well above average and forecasts suggesting they could rise further as the event peaks.

The report says this natural climate cycle can push up global temperatures and alter rainfall and storm patterns worldwide. The Met Office links it with signs already seen in weather around the globe, including weaker-than-usual monsoon rainfall in India and reduced hurricane activity in the Atlantic. It also says the UK could face a wetter, stormier autumn, while parts of the tropical Pacific, Australia and the Americas may see higher risks of drought, bushfires or flooding.

BBC World News says the Met Office believes El Niño, combined with human-caused climate change, makes it very likely that 2027 will be the hottest year on record, overtaking 2024. The article cites climate scientists who say the event is still developing and that its final strength will depend on how conditions evolve in the months ahead.

For context, El Niño is a recurring natural warming of the central and eastern Pacific that can disrupt weather far beyond the region. The article notes that the pattern often has its strongest temperature effects in the year after its winter peak, which is why forecasters are watching its possible impact on global heat records.