Climate · Geneva, Switzerland · October 22, 2026

WMO says El Niño could be strongest on record

Reported by 7 outlets · first reported Oct 21, 10:53 AM ET

The World Meteorological Organization said tropical Pacific sea surface temperatures may reach 3.8C above average between November 2026 and January 2027. The UN released $50 million for 11 frontline countries including Chad and Somalia, and rain linked by scientists to the El Niño has sent near-record flows over Iguazú Falls.

Why it matters

Strong El Niño events shift rainfall worldwide, raising the risk of floods, droughts and fires.

Background

El Niño is a periodic warming of the eastern tropical Pacific that alters global weather. It is linked this year to fires in Indonesia and the Amazon.

The story so far

1. Oct 21UN warns El Niño could be strongest on record
2. Oct 22WMO says El Niño could be strongest on record
3. Oct 27Greenhouse gases hit record highs in 2025
4. Oct 28WMO: greenhouse gases hit record highs in 2025

Follow the whole story →

Sources

• The Hindu ↗Oct 22, 1:38 AM ET
• Euronews ↗Oct 21, 10:53 AM ET
• NPR ↗Oct 22, 9:50 AM ET

This summary was written automatically from the reporting linked above; follow the sources for the full story. How One Turn works.

See it on the globe →All of Oct 22's stories