By the end of the year, a powerful El Niño could change the weather around the world, scientists say
Meteorologists are forecasting the onset of the El Niño climate phenomenon as early as May, and by the end of 2026, it could become the strongest in the last decade.
This is reported by international meteorological services and climate models, according to The Independent.
El Niño is associated with rising surface water temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean and significantly affects weather conditions around the world.
According to the World Meteorological Organization, the likelihood of the phenomenon developing is high. The first signs are already being observed—rising temperatures, droughts, and extreme heat in certain regions, particularly in Australia and India.
“We last observed similar signals during the strong El Niño of 2015–2016,” noted meteorologist Chris Hyde.
Weather conditions in Asia are expected to become hotter and drier, which could negatively impact agriculture. Meanwhile, increased precipitation is forecast for North and South America.
The Japan Meteorological Agency estimates the probability of the phenomenon occurring this summer at around 70%. Indian services warn that the monsoon season may turn out to be weaker than average.
Forecasters explain that El Niño is a phase of the climate system opposite to La Niña and occurs due to the weakening of trade winds, which alters the circulation of warm waters and affects the global climate.
Similar phenomena have already caused serious consequences worldwide: droughts, crop failures, and disruptions to agricultural cycles in various regions, as well as excessive rainfall in other parts of the globe.
As a reminder, the powerful storm “Dave” recently caused widespread destruction in Sweden, leaving thousands of people without power.
As a reminder, an ice storm is threatening about 100 million people in the U.S.
California has also been hit by a severe storm, and there is a threat of tornadoes.
