El Nino set to intensify, raising risk of extreme weather worldwide

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) warned on 3 July that an El Nino event has formed in the tropical Pacific and is expected to strengthen rapidly. Forecasts from leading climate centres indicate the sea‑surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific will rise sharply from July through September 2026, with a strong El Nino likely by year‑end. The organization projects a heightened likelihood of heatwaves, droughts, heavy rain and flooding across many regions, as seasonal temperature anomalies could exceed +2 °C in key monitoring areas. WMO Secretary‑General Celeste Saulo emphasized that the models show high agreement, giving the forecast strong confidence. In response, the UN‑coordinated climate campaign is being expanded to assist governments, humanitarian agencies and climate‑sensitive sectors such as agriculture, health, water resources and food security in preparing for the anticipated impacts. The agency also clarified that the term “super El Nino” is not part of its official classification system.