WMO Predicts Strong El Niño Could Impact Global Weather

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has predicted that the upcoming El Niño event could be extremely strong, with temperatures in the central Pacific expected to rise approximately 3.8 degrees Celsius above normal between November and January, peaking around December. WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo explained that El Niño is the warm phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation cycle, which significantly influences global weather conditions.

The WMO warned that this phenomenon typically raises global temperatures and disrupts rainfall patterns, leading to droughts in some regions and heavy rainfall in others. The WMO cautioned that the extreme weather associated with El Niño could exacerbate pressures on housing, water, sanitation, and health services.

Tom Fletcher, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, emphasized the need for urgent action to prepare for these impacts, warning that around 50 million people could face increased hunger due to worsening weather extremes.