According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) an El Niño event is expected to develop from mid-2026. This will have impact on global temperature and rainfall patterns. It will hamper water availability and food security in affected regions. WMO reported that El Niño is set to develop during the May to July season. Although the confidence of the prediction will improve after April, models currently suggest this El Niño could be a strong event.
El Niño events occur every two to seven years as part of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) natural climate cycle in the Pacific Ocean. The ENSO cycle flips between the warmer El Niño phase and the cooler La Niña phase, with neutral periods in between. El Niño periods bring elevated sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific, thereby weakening or reversing trade winds and strongly disrupting global temperatures and rainfall patterns.
