El Niño Forecast: Stronger Than Ever

El Niño's changing rainfall patterns impact various parts of the world.

Darilaut - Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Celeste Saulo emphasized the need to prepare for a strong El Niño phenomenon, which will worsen droughts and heavy rainfall, and increase the risk of heatwaves both on land and on water.

The latest El Niño event, occurring in 2023-2024, is one of the five strongest El Niño events ever recorded and played a significant role in the global temperature record seen in 2024.

According to Celeste Saulo, the WMO community will closely monitor the situation in the coming months to provide information for decision-making by governments, humanitarian organizations, and sectors vulnerable to the climate.

'Seasonal prediction and early warnings are crucial for saving lives and reducing the impact on our economies and communities,' said Celeste Saulo as quoted from WMO's press release, Tuesday (June 2)

WMO has released a Global Seasonal Climate Update that complements the report, taking into account other climate driving factors, allowing for more accurate regional forecasts.

El Niño and La Niña are opposite phases of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), one of the strongest natural climate patterns on Earth.

El Niño is characterized by warming of the surface water temperature in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. It typically occurs every two to seven years and lasts for around nine to twelve months.