Australia raises alarm over extreme El Niño risk in decades
Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) announced on Tuesday that an El Niño weather pattern has developed in the tropical Pacific Ocean, warning that it could intensify in the second half of 2026 and potentially become one of the most intense events in more than seventy years, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing Anadolu.
The weather agency reported that sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific have crossed El Niño thresholds. In addition, atmospheric indicators, including trade winds and pressure patterns, are showing responses typical of El Niño.
Forecast models suggest further warming in the coming months, with about half indicating the event may be among the strongest since records began in 1950.
El Niño is a naturally occurring climate pattern marked by unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific. It frequently disrupts global weather patterns, causing hotter, drier conditions in Australia and increased rainfall in some regions of the Americas.
BoM indicated that Australia may experience below-average rainfall and higher temperatures in winter and spring, particularly in central and eastern regions. The agency warned that these conditions could increase the risk of drought, heatwaves, and bushfires.
Climate experts have also warned that rising global temperatures could intensify El Niño’s effects, increasing the likelihood of extreme weather and environmental stress.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that the World Meteorological Organization had warned that El Niño conditions were developing in the tropical Pacific Ocean and could influence weather patterns across the globe in the coming months, increasing the risk of heatwaves, droughts, heavy rains, and other extreme weather events.
