The El Niño event developing in the Pacific Ocean could be the strongest in more than a 100 years, as the world braces for even more extreme weather.
According to the UK Met Office, 2027 is "very likely" to become the hottest year on record, as the natural weather phenomenon clashes with human-caused climate change.
"We should be clear that this is an unprecedented event," says Professor Adam Scaife, head of long-range forecasting at the UK Met Office. "I have never seen an El Niño signal this intense in our forecasts."
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) says that the El Niño event continues to "intensify steadily" and is expected to "dominate climate patterns" from August to October 2026 – increasing the likelihood of above-normal temperatures across much of the world and driving significant shifts in rainfall patterns.
Its latest multi-model forecasts indicate seasonal-average sea-surface temperature anomalies could exceed 2.9°C in key monitoring regions. This is often referred to as a 'super' El Niño, despite not being an official category. It has also led to a slew of media publications warning of a 'Godzilla-strength' El Niño.
