Meteorologists have updated their forecast for El Niño—the phenomenon is rapidly intensifying

The El Niño weather phenomenon, which forms in the Pacific Ocean, has continued to intensify for several months in a row. According to the latest forecasts by meteorologists, there is a growing likelihood that it will become the strongest on record.

The intensity of El Niño is increasing month by month, forcing experts to revise their forecasts regarding its future development.

According to a forecast by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the probability that a historically strong El Niño event will develop between October and December has risen to 83 percent.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) forecasts that the average three-month sea surface temperature in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific could be 3.7 degrees Celsius above the long-term average. The phenomenon is expected to peak around December but will not subside afterward. According to the WMO, there is a nearly 100 percent probability that it will persist until at least February 2027.
 

The intensity of El Niño is also significant because it weakens the trade winds in the equatorial Pacific, allowing warm surface water to move further eastward. This also affects atmospheric circulation, altering the usual distribution of precipitation around the world. While some regions may experience heavier rains and flooding, others may face prolonged droughts. El Niño can also temporarily raise global average temperatures, as some of the heat stored in the ocean is released into the atmosphere.

This is reported by 24.hu.

The UN is forecasting the strongest El Niño in 40 years — RMF24.

The UN has allocated $50 million to 11 countries amid the threat of a record-breaking El Niño — Euronews.

Japan has called the current El Niño the strongest on record — Dawn.