The World Meteorological Organization warned on Wednesday that the current El Nino could be unprecedented in strength, with Secretary-General Celeste Saulo telling a Geneva press conference it could be literally off the monitoring charts used for the past four decades, as the agency’s seasonal update forecasts sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific rising to 3.8 degrees Celsius above average during November to January, with the event peaking toward the end of 2026 and its impacts felt long after. UN aid chief Tom Fletcher, appearing alongside Saulo in a joint call for urgent anticipatory action, called El Nino a wrecking ball of extreme heat, droughts and floods and said he had released 50 million dollars to help 11 countries on the frontline, including Chad, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Somalia and South Sudan.
UN warns El Nino could be strongest on record
The World Meteorological Organization warned on Wednesday that the current El Nino could be unprecedented in strength, forecasting tropical Pacific sea surface temperatures up to 3.8 degrees Celsius above average from November to January.
Why it matters: A record strength El Nino peaking toward the end of 2026 would compound food and energy price pressure into 2027, and the UN has released 50 million dollars for anticipatory action in 11 frontline countries.
Data as of AFP report via Arab News, published October 21, 2026 and read in full, reporting the Geneva press conference of WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo and UN aid chief Tom Fletcher; the warning was also reported by Euronews and Anadolu on October 21, 2026. Developing item.
Sources
- El Nino could be 'literally off the monitoring charts': UN - Arab News (AFP) - 2026-10-21
- UN warns El Nino could be strongest on record as it urges world to prepare - Euronews - 2026-10-21