El Nino: A phenomenon supercharged by climate change

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that scientists are warning the developing 2026-27 El Nino could become unusually strong, potentially the most intense on record, as warming oceans and human-caused climate change add to its effects. The feature says the event is being tracked in the Pacific with satellites and buoys, and that changes in sea temperatures and winds are already affecting marine life off South America, including the disappearance of anchovies that normally gather in cold, nutrient-rich waters.

The article says the phenomenon is likely to arrive most strongly in late 2026 or early 2027 and could drive extreme heat, drought and flooding in different parts of the world. Al Jazeera cites researchers and weather officials, including the Met Office and the World Meteorological Organization, who say the expected impacts may be broader because El Nino is unfolding on a much warmer planet. Regions highlighted as vulnerable include Southeast Asia, South America and parts of Africa, where weather shifts could affect rainfall, planting seasons and water security.

The piece also notes potential consequences for food systems, fisheries, biodiversity and public health. It says crop losses, supply-chain disruptions and disease outbreaks such as malaria and dengue fever are among the risks, while seabird deaths and marine food-chain stress are already being reported along parts of the eastern Pacific coast.

Al Jazeera frames the event as an example of how a natural climate pattern can be intensified by global warming, making preparation by governments and aid agencies more urgent.