Powerful El Nino to intensify heat on ‘a planet already on fire’: UN

What the report says

The World Meteorological Organization has warned that a rapidly strengthening El Nino event is expected to shape weather patterns in the months ahead, increasing the chances of heatwaves, drought and flooding in many regions. In its latest update, published Friday, the UN weather agency said the climate pattern is already coinciding with major wildfire outbreaks in parts of Africa and Europe, while South Asia is facing severe monsoon-related disruption.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres used the warning to press governments to speed up climate action. He argued that El Nino is magnifying the effects of human-caused warming and called for an immediate stop to new coal, oil and gas projects. The statement reflects a broader UN message that natural climate variability is now interacting with an already hotter planet, raising the likelihood of damaging extremes.

The WMO said sea-surface temperatures in the central Pacific are projected to rise well above normal, which could disrupt global weather systems and push temperatures higher across nearly all land areas. Areas singled out for the strongest heat signals include Africa, southern Europe, the Indian subcontinent, East Asia and South America. WMO chief Celeste Saulo said forecasts only help if governments and aid agencies act on them to protect vulnerable communities. Scientists quoted by the agency also cautioned that the event could become exceptionally strong later in the year, though model projections still carry uncertainty.