Climate scientists have warned that El Niño has officially begun, as the world braces for a year of turbocharged weather.
The natural phenomenon, which happens irregularly every two to seven years, occurs when sea surface temperatures in the Eastern Pacific Ocean become unusually warm.
This can push up global temperatures, paving the way for more extreme events. The last El Niño occurred from May 2023 through March 2024, and contributed towards record-breaking heat which fuelled a series of deadly heatwaves, wildfires and floods across the globe.
2026 is already predicted to be one of the hottest years on record, with the most recent seasonal forecast from the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) warning that higher than normal temperatures are very likely for the summer and early autumn.
Already, Europe has sweltered through a deadly May heatwave, while forecasters warn that 40°C temperatures and ‘tropical nights’ are expected across the Mediterranean in the coming days.
